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.?'V 



AN 
HISTORICAL ACCOUNT 

FIRST SETTLKMEXT UF SALEM, 

IN WEST JERSEY, 

Bv .lOHN FENWICK, Esq. 

f'iiii:r riiorKiirroii of tukssmk; 

WITH MAXr OF THE IMPORTANT EVKNTS THAT HAVK «•( 
(URRCD, DOWN TO THE PRESENT GENERATION, 

KMBRAriNc; A PERIOD OF o:i^»IV'»^ Con ^ 

DKKD AND FIITV VL'ARS. ** ^*m 



r^ 



BT R. O. JOHNSO If . * 

I > 



P H I L A 1) "i:. \j V H I A : 

PIBLISHED BV ORRIN ROGERS. 

No. 67 South Second Sircft. 



1830. 



i^ T 



F 

.S<7 



Z' 



EsTftaao »■<•;• i^ t.> Nn nf t'am^rrt^ km tW y«ar 1119, by 

u«Bi« Ho«ta*, 
tiM CMk* aT iW Clrtk ci« iH' iHtimt Ca«rl oT Um KmUm l>i. 






PREFACE. 

m m 

At the lime the followin|f pages were deli?ered before 

the cilizrns of Salcin at their I.yreum, I had not iho moat 
disianl ihouifhl that those lectures would have excited 
•uch an inirrest in the public mind a« to require their pub- 
lication. Dutsincethcnlhivoheenrrcqi rtunecl 
U. crmit them to be publinhed, that the , of our 
rojiirv ,,ow something of the tmiiBacuons of for- 
mt-r l; ^. 

Far be it from me to claim any pretensions to be con- 
sidered as an author; my avf>cations for almost fifiy 
years have beea exclusively dt>votod to agricultural pur- 
suits. I am very reluctantly obliped to yield to tffe soli- 
citations of my neighbors, and permit the press to afford to 
every one who chooses an opportunity of reading what 
had before been delivrrod in the Court House, with some 
additions appended Uiereto. 

R. G. JoHXSON. 



^ 



HISTORICAL EVENTS, kc. 



y\\ Krii:mi?» a>w .\» i«*iiBoB», — I pretent myself 
• h Ibrr you at thio liiiK* in compliance with a dc«ire 
fX|>r»"<M '1 1''.- tIp ' ■ • ^^^^' 

ly iu>i;i .-.i M I you 

upon hudi a '• 

myjiclf. I ^\ ; ' ' 

cheerfully to aii'urci such intornuiti 
prrv irini'. vfjitc of my healthy as ; i _ 
iiiv: nr sources a.^ I can obtain. 

I xiaii ilirri'foro crave your serious att^tioD, 
while I endeavor to carry your recolleclions thn^u^'h 
a long . viz: from the year 1063, 

to aU)i. . which I hope will not be 

an unac.*ej»iaL.i« uaruiUon to my , while I 

shall cndi»avor to r« Int.- the most ;it events 

which had taken place in our country within ihote 
'^^riods. 

These reminiscences cannot be expected to be al- 
together perfect, but such light as 1 have been able 
to obtain, will be faithfully exhibited to you. You 
may call this if you olcaBe — 
!• 



6 rillT sJETThMbfiT or 

•• The history of our county from thr first sf-ixl 
iDoni of it, down to the presMBt t 

But it would be perhaps more it the 

same time instruct ire, ihal I • you a 

' nological ncrounl of all our « .ii.i> iit»in it* 

!ijK*ovcry down to our linte, and that 1 will do 

<n a* f«w ' 

In the . ;>her Columbus first dift- 

COVrn-<l Alii' r»« a. 

IIMT. ^ *! '■ 'h.n hi«5 ^nn Scbostin; 

!!.«ry Vll. 

v*n u> Co- 

r as sixty-Sevan de- 

i»r» « *« t rr. r ;\ n. li . • - >• ; n. 

1524. 'Dm Tr. n. h followed ihc tract of Cabot 
undcT V. : 

15*2.") .: 'M»m find Rlli^l of BnMol look a 

i:.-l. ■. I. . .- 

. ir lii. t.r • ' ny to \ irgmia. • 

ItiO-. Joi.ii (iuyond others, from Britio! wi-nt 
and, Mtilt'd N*^wfot»ndlnnd. 

1601). \\r' »' n, an F- •';»••• 
traversed Hu .came 

iti ! N ;. , aij.i • 

H.i ;. * 

;ii. ! 1. ■ - W 

\ r whicli nor ot 

\ ..^., a put n . ■ liudson 

could not alienatr Trom the rn^w n of Eng- 
land. Hereupon ii- • ii Governor submitted to 



SALEM, rS M r> r JERSKY. 7 

the crown ; hut a n from Amsterdam, 

iWiled in imyini; ihe cl . . i.-jiito, and began to 
fortify hims(>lf here, at New York, and at New Cat- 
tle on Dtlaware river. Complaint lx»ing madL* to 
Kins^ Charles, and by him repn^scnted to the States 
of n '. ihcy de<*lami by an instrumont, that 

th» way intrresfrNl in if, beinpliie undertaking 

of ihu Wt ^t India Company of Amsterdam, and ro- 
fcrrrd it wholly to his majesty's pUasiirv — upon 
ihra, 

1A*J7. A commission was issued to Sir George 
Calvert, for Maryland, and then the Hollanders con- 
sented to be pone, Mt.'l I. -.. .11 they had, for the 
Slim of £:i,500. 

lf)*^7. The Swr.;. s .nil t iiins arrived and 
land««d at Capo lnlop«'n, at which time the Dutch had 
lert the country. They rctnrued and built up Lewis- 
town. 

16;U. The Swedes Iniilt a fort near Wilmington, 
which they called Chrisleen, afterwards destroyed 
by the Dutch. 'I'hc-y built a Fort at Fort Point, now 
the property of Il<njamin Holmes, in Elsinborough. 
Another was built at Finns' point, opposite Fort Dela- 
ware; another on Tinicum island, and several 
other places alonji the river Delaware. 

\(V,\^. The Dutch under pretence of taking in 
fresh water, seized upon New York, and changed 
tlu' name io Amstt>rdam. 

Th(;y had several years^fore this time, taken 
|>ossession of l)Olh sides of the Delaware river. They 
had in 1623 built a fort at what is now called Glou- 
cester point, but it was some short time after that 



FIRST SETTLEM1.NT (»F 

tlestroyed by tlie Uenappi Indians. They also built 
a fort at Elsinboroiiiih, \*liich was subsequently de- 
stroyed by these same Indians. 

1648. There were small settlements of Swedes 
along the shore of our county ; so much so that the 
Rev. Campanius makes the following notice in his 
diary : on the 10th May, 10-Ih, having obtained a 
proper passport from the Governor and council, I 
sailed in th*; Lord's name, with my family from I'ilfs- 
borg, in Now Sweden, on board of the ship Swan, 
and on the 18th, came into the bay. The distance 
between Klfsborg and the bay is nine miles' ; and on 
account of the numerous banks in the river, we were 
three days in descending into the bay. On the l*Jth 
we came to (>aj>e May. 

16r)5. The Dutch undrr the conynnnd of P« !< r 
Stuyvesant arrived in the Delaware in seven vo* Is 
from New York, having on board six or seven liun- 
dred men, captured all the Swedes, took j>ossession 
of their forts, and carried the otllcers and principal 
inhabitants, prisoners to New York, and from thence 
some of them to Holland ; the common people submit- 
ted to the conquerors. 

1061. King Charles II. sent Sir Robert Holmes, 
and reduced New York. 

1663. I)c Ruiter, sailed to New York, took it, 
and made great depredations. Then followed the 
war with Holland. 

1663-4. King Charles II. granted all that terri- 
tory called by the Dutch, New Netherland, unto his 
brother the Duke of York, who sent General Nichols 
forthwith, and retook it from the Hollanders. 



SALEM, IN WEST JERSEY. 9 

1 664. The Duke granted that part now called New 
Jersey, to Lord Berkeley of Straiton, and Sir George 
Carteret jointly. On the 4th December, in this year 
Governor Nichols, of New York, made a grant of 
Elizabethtown, to sundry persons, before the Duke of 
York's grant was known. 

1665. Sir Robert Carr obtained the submission 
of the Swedes settled on the Delaware, and some of 
these were the people whom Fen wick and his follow- 
ers found located in Penn's Neck, and along the Old 
Man's creek, when he arrived there. 

1672. The Dutch reduced the country again. 

1673. Hy the peace of Westminster,' it was re- 
stored. 

1673. Lord Berkeley conveyed his right to John 
Fenwick. 

Fchrvary, 1674. Fenwick, to Penn and others, 
conveyed nine ten-parts thereof for Billings. 

June, 1 674. In consequence of the conquest made 
by the Dutch, and to obviate any objections that 
might arise on account thereof against the former 
granr, a new patent was issued to the Duke of York 
for the same country. 

J?//^.^ A partition having been agreed upon be- 
tween Sir George Carteret and the assigns of Ed- 
ward Billings ; the Duke of York by deeds of case 
and release, granted East Jersey to Sir George Car- 
teret. 

1675. Lord Berkeley's half, (West Jersey) was 
sold to John Fenwick, in trust for Edward Billings, 
who assigned his interest therein to William Penn, 
Gawn Lawrie, and Nicholas Lucas, as trustees for 
the use of his creditors. 



10 FIRST SETTLEMENT OF 

July, 1679. Partition made between Sir George 
Carteret, Penn, and other trustees, by which the 
Eastern part fell to Sir George Carteret, called East 
Jersey. This partition was confirmed by an act of 
the General Assembly in 1719. 

October, 1678. The Duke of York made, a new 
grant of West Jersey, to the assignees of Lord Berke- 
ley. 

December, 1678. Sir George Carteret by his 
will dated 5th December, 1678, directed his East 
New Jersey to be sold — soon afterwards he died. 

February, 1681. The Earl of Bath, and other 
trustees of the said will of Sir George Carteret con- 
veyed East New Jersey to twelve, and these to twelve 
more, increasing their number to twenty-four proprie- 
tors. 

March, 1682. The Duke of York made a new 
grant for East Jersey to the said twenty-four pro- 
prietors. 

1682. King Charles II. ratified it by proclama- 
tion. 

From the above date of 1663-4, when the first 
grant was made for New Jersey by King Charles II. 
to the 4th day of July, 1776 — the declaration of our 
American independence — the State was under the do- 
minion of the following named crowned heads, here- 
with exhibited, showing the time when they began 
to reign, and the number of years they reigned. 
Charles II. 1660, 25 years. 

James II. 1685, 3 " 

William III. ' 1688, 13 " 

and Mary II. 1688, 6 « 



SALEM, IN WEST JERSEY. 11 

Queen Anne, 1701, 14 years. 

George I. 1714, 13 ^ " 

George II. 1727, 33 " 

George III. 1760, 16 " to the 

American revolution. 

Names of the Governors of New Jersey from the 

surrender of the Govei'ument by the proprietors 

in 1702, to the year 1776. 
Edward Viscount Cornbury, 
John Lord Lovelace, 
Lieut. Gov. Richard Ingoldsby, 
Brigadier, Robert Hunter, 
William Burnet, 
John Montgomery, 
William Crosbey, 
John Anderson, president of the 

Council, 
John Hamilton, 
Lewis Morris, 
John Hamilton, 

succeeded by 
John Reading, President, 
Jonathan Belcher, died, and the 

government devolved on 
John Reading, President, 
Francis Bernard, 
Thomas Boone, 
Josiah Hardy, 
William Franklin, 

The last Officer of the Customs for Salem and 

Cohansey. 

John Hatton, Esq., Collector. 



1702 


to 


1708. 


1708 


ti 


1709. 


1709 


a 


1710. 


1710 


u 


1720. 


1720 


(C 


1727. 


1728 


u 


1731. 


1721 


( i 


1736. 


1736 j 


i died in two 
• weeks. 


1736 


a 


1738. 


1738 


a 


1746. 


1746, 


died and was 


1746 


(( 


1747. 


1747 


(( 


1757. 


1757 


ii 


1758. 


1758 


u 


1760. 


1761 


ii 


1761. 


1761 


a 


1763. 


1763 


ii 


1776. 



12 FIRST SETTLEMENT OF 

Governors under the present American Independent 
Constitution of New Jersey. 



William Livingston, 


1776 


to 


1790. 


William Patterson, 


1790 


u 


1793. 


Richard Howell, 


1793 


(( 


1801. 


Joseph Bloomfield, 


1801 


a 


1802. 


John Lambert, President, 


1802 


i( 


1803. 


Joseph Bloomfield, 


1803 


a 


1812. 


Aaron Ogden, 


1812 


u 


1813. 


William S. Pennington, 


1813 


ii 


1815. 


Mahlon Dickenson, 


1815 


iC 


1829. 


Isaac W. Williamson, 


1817 


u 


1829. 



Somewhere about the time of the discovery of this 
country, there appeared a greedy spirit for enterprise 
to pervade several European nations, the most active 
were the Sw^edes and Hollanders. The English go- 
vernment emulous to excel their neighbors on the 
continent in discoveries, and jealous of the aspiring 
dispositions which were so manifest by those, people, 
made great exertions to instil into the minds of their 
own citizens, a spirit for adventure and enterprise ; 
and the most flattering allurements were held out 
to such individuals as would emigrate to this, then 
called the new world. 

Propositions of the most captivating kind, M'ere of- 
fered to such people as would emigrate ; they were — 
that the proprietors of this delightful and fertile coun- 
try would grant to all such persons who would emi- 
grate thither seventy acres of land, and also seventy 
acres of land to every male servant, and for female 
servants, or such persons who might be weak and 
sickly, fifty acres of land. 



SALEM, IN WEST JERSEY. 13 

The government of Great Britain was disposed to 
give every necessary facility to expedite the setthng 
of the new world, and accordingly Charles II., then 
king of England, conveyed all the new State of New 
Jersey, as I have before stated, to his brother James, 
Duke of York, in the year 1663-4, and James, some 
short time after that, conveyed the said State to John 
Lord Berkeley, and Sir George Carteret in 1664. 
After that Major John Fenwick contracted with John 
Lord Berkeley for the moiety or half part of New Jer- 
sey in the year 1673, for which he agreed to pay 
£1000. 

And besides in the exemplification of the engraved 
copy of the deed from Charles IL to his brother 
James, Duke of York, in the chancery of England, 
John Fenwick's name is therein mentioned in the 
following words : " Nos autem tenorem literarum 
Paten, (pdcan abreviated) ad requisitionem Johannis 
Fenwick Armigeri duximus exemplificans per pre- 
sentes, in cujus rei testimonii has literas meas fieri 
fecimus paten. Teste meipo apud Westmi, quin- 
todecimo die Junii Anno regni nostri visesimo sep- 
timo." 

Fenwick's arrival. — As soon as possible after 
Fenwick had arrived in America, which was in the 
month of June, 1675, he most faithfully set about 
making a treaty with the Indians, who then inhabited 
this part of the state in great numbers, and purchased 
from them the right to the soil in all the country 
now including Salem and Cumberland counties. 

Fenwick's family. — Fenwick brought out with 
him from England, to Salem, in the province of West 
4) 



14 FIRST SETTLEMENT OF 

Jersey, three daughters — Elizabeth, Anna, and Pris- 
cilla. Also, John Adams, the husband to Elizabeth, 
with three children — Elizabeth, Fenwick, and Mary. 
Also, Edward Chamneys, the husband of Priscilla, 
with two children — John and Mary — with his ten 
servants, viz : Robert Turner, Gervas Bywater, 
William Wilkenson, Joseph Worth, Michael Eaton, 
Eleanor Geere, Ruth Geere, Zachariah Geere, Sarah 
Hutchens, and Ann Parsons. The servants of Ed- 
ward Chamneys were, Mark Reeve, Edward Webb, 
and Elizabeth Waites. 

Anna Fenwick, some short time after their arrival, 
married Samuel Hedge. 

Fenwick contracts with the Indian chiefs. 
Fenwick, well knowing that it would greatly advance 
his interest here if he could effect a purchase in a 
friendly and peaceable manner with the natives, con- 
vened their chiefs, and a contract was entered into 
with them for the sale of all their right and title to 
the lands now known by the name of Salem and 
Cumberland counties. 

The first purchase was for the lands included 
within Salem and Old-man's creeks — which creeks 
were called by the Indians Mosacksa and Forcus ; 
the grant to these lands was made by the chiefs 
Tospaminkey and Henaminkey. 

Second purchase. — The second purchase was 
for all the lands lying between Forcus creek, or, as 
it was afterwards called, Game creek, or Fen wick's 
river, and now Salem creek, and the Canahockink 
creek, now called Cohansey ; and by some of the 
first settlers it was called Cohanzick, from a chief 



SAI.EM, IN WEST JERSEY. 15 

who resided on the south side thereof. This grant 
was from the chiefs whose names were Mahoppony, 
Allaways, Necomis, and his mother Necosshehesco, 
Myhoppony, and Shuccotery. Of all the water- 
courses within the county of Salem, I recollect only 
the names of six which at this day retain their pri- 
mitive or Indian names. They are, 1st — The Alla> 
ways, which you all know. 2d — The Necomis, the 
run at the side of which are the marl-pits, now the 
property of John Dickenson, Esq., near Sharptown. 
3d — The Mahoppony, that branch of Pledger's creek 
opposite to Clayton Wistar's house, and on which 
there was formerly a tide mill. 4th — The Macki- 
nippuck, on which Richard Seeley's mill stands, two 
miles north-west of Greenwich. 5th — The Mani- 
muska, the branch on which is built the village of 
Port Elizabeth. 6th — A small branch of Morris 
river, called Menantico, situate about half-way be- 
tween Mill-ville and Port Elizabeth. 

The third purchase. — The third purchase was 
from the Canahockink, now Cohansey, to the Wa- 
hatquenack, now Morris river. 

The grantors were — Mahawskey, Mohut, who 
styles himself the king, Newsego, Chechenaham, 
Torucho, and Shacanum. 

Payment made to the Indians. — So far as I 
have been able to collect information, the tract of 
country included within the bounds of Old-man's 
creek and Morris river, was purchased from these 
chiefs for the following described goods, viz : 4 guns, 
powder, and lead ; IO5 ankers of rum, equal to about 
336 gallons ; some shirts, shoes, and stockings ; 4 



16 FIRST SETTLEMENT OF 

blankets ; 16 match coats ; 1 piece of match coating, 
and other English goods. This purchase was made 
in the years 1675 and 1676. 

Time of Fenwick's death. — Emigrants were 
now arriving, and Fenwick having become the chief 
proprietor of this large tract of country, which he 
called Fenwick's colony, sales were rapidly made of 
large as well as small tracts of land, and so conti- 
nued until his death, which took place between the 
months of August, 1683, and April, 1684. 

THE FIRST AND GENERAL ORDER, AS AGREED UPON 
BY FENWICK AND THE FIRST PURCHASERS. 

We whose names are here subscribed, do first de- 
clare, as hereby is declared, that we have been ex- 
posed to great hazards, straits, dangers and cruelties 
whilst at sea. John Lord Berkeley's deed being de- 
clared to be left in England, was the cause of our 
troubles we met with there, and at our arrival, when 
our sorrows were multiplied, our miseries increased 
through cruelties and oppression ; so that, as it ap- 
peared, John Eldrige and Edmund Warner labored 
to send us away with the shadow, whilst they de- 
tained from us the substance, that should every where 
preserve us and our interest from ruin, even the ruin 
under which we hitherto groaned, and like to be 
ruined, having received no relief from England, nei- 
ther can we hear when to expect any ; but wholly 
left as a people forsaken, even forsaken of them that 
pretended to take care of us ; and many of those that 
embarked with us in the same undertaking did also 
desert us, and disperse themselves into other coun- 



SALEM, IN WEST JERSEY. 17 

tries ; so that now, if we can live, we may — if we 
cannot, we may die, for the care that has been and 
is taken by those men, as if their own interests were 
our destruction. But, blessed be the God of heaven 
and of earth, who hath showed us mercy, (to the 
amazement of our enemies here, and so it will be 
also to others in due time,) praised be his name for 
ever, he hath also by his Spirit stirred in the hearts 
of many good people to pity us, and made them will- 
ing to come and join with us, sitting down together 
in this tract of land, which John Fenwick, the chief 
proprietor, purchased of the natives for his colony, 
and to satisfy every of his purchasers by setting out 
their tracts of land therein accordingly. To the end, 
therefore, that the Lord's requirings may be answer- 
ed, the desires of strangers satisfied, the said colony 
planted, we and our families preserved from ruin, 
every purchaser having his land set out, the natives 
neither provocated nor tempted, but all our lives pre- 
served by setting out and planting the land as people 
come to take it up, and so sitting down together as 
in other countries — We, after many meetings and seri- 
ous consultations, do unanimously agree and conclude 
upon the method following, which we, the chief pur- 
chasers of Fenwick's colony, and other the pur- 
chasers and freeholders residing within the same, do 
approve of and judge to be most just, reasonable and 
equal ; and do therefore declare and order, that every 
purchaser that is resident shall forthwith have his 
tract of land set out — the one-half in the liberty of 
Cohanzick, the other half in the liberty of Allaways, 
or as the chief proprietor shall order the same there 
2# 



18 FIRST SETTLEMENT OF 

or elsewhere ; the said purchasers casting lots only, 
who shall begin and succeed till their tracts be sur- 
veyed and set out ; and after their tracts of land are 
set forth and surveyed, then in order according to 
the lots as aforesaid, shall the tracts of which they 
are entrusted with be set out and surveyed also, as 
they come to sit down upon and improve the same, 
making it first appear to the chief proprietor and 
council that they really intend the same. 

2d. That there shall be a neck or two of land set 
out for a town at Cohanzick, and divided into two 
parts — the one for the chief proprietor, the other to 
be set out in town lots for the purchasers, which lots 
are to be reckoned as part of their purchases. The 
chief proprietor is to settle upon the town, gratis, a 
common of marsh, and to dispose of his part for the 
encouraging of trade. That the said lots shall be 
sixteen acres a-piece, and that every purchaser shall 
take their lots in the town as they come to take them 
up and plant them. 

And as for the settling of the town of New Salem, 
it is likewise ordered that the town be divided by a 
street ; that the south-east side be for the purchasers, 
who are to take their lots of sixteen acres as they 
come to take them up and plant them, as they hap- 
pen to join to the lots of the purchasers resident, who 
are to hold their present plantations, and all of them 
to be accounted as part of their purchases ; and the 
other part, on the north and by east and by south, is 
to be disposed of by the chief proprietor for the en- 
couragement of trade ; he also giving for the good of 



SALEM, IN WEST JERSEY. 19 

the town in general, the field of marsh that lieth be- 
tween the town and Goodchild's plantation ; — and. 

Lastly, we do leave all other things concerning 
the setting forth and surveying the said purchases, 
unto the chief proprietor, to order as he sees fit. 

Signed accordingly, the twenty-fifth day of the 
Fourth month, 1676. 



FENWICK. 



Edward Wade, 
John Smith, - 
Richard Noble, 
Saml. Nicholson,- 
JoHN Addams, 
Hypolite Lefevre, 
Edward Champnes, 
Richard Whitacar, 
William Malster, 
Robert Wade. 



FOR NEW SALEM AND COHANZICK TO SET OUT THEIK 
LOTS. 

Whereas, upon the twenty-fifth of the Fourth month 
last past, it was consented to and agreed upon by 
me and all my purchasers, freeholders and planters, 
then resident in my said colony, that the town of 
New Salem, and the town which is intended to be 
built at Cohanzick, should contain as much land as 
the one-half thereof will afford sixteen acres for a 
home-lot for every purchaser, and that they should 
be set forth and surveyed, so as that every one of 
the said purchasers, paying the surveyor for the 
same, may take them as they come to build or plant 



20 FIRST SETTLEMENT OF 

in order to their setting down upon them, being part 
of their purchased tracts of land. And the other 
half of the tract of land to be set out, be at the whole 
disposal of me the chief proprietor, for the increase 
of the said towns ; I also allowing the inhabitants 
thereof a competent tract of marshes adjoining there- 
unto, for a free common unto each town, and that 
the chief street in each town be as a partition be- 
tween me and the purchasers, and our several tene- 
ments. 

And whereas, by the wilful neglect, dishonest and 
unjust carriage of Richard Noble, the setting forth 
thereof have been deferred till now : These are 
therefore to wiL and require thee, Richard Hancock, 
forthwith upon the receipt thereof, with all possible 
convenient speed, to survey the said townships for 
forty and two purchasers, at sixteen acres a-piece, to 
be divided as aforesaid, beginning at New Salem, 
and so settling the present planters there, and that 
they may enjoy their present plantations, with as 
little trouble and damage as possible may be, and 
make several certificates for them accordingly ; and 
that not only in Salem, but the like in Cohanzick 
also, according as they take it up ; setting out other 
the lands in both townships in a general form, leav- 
ing the particular lots to be laid out as they come, 
bringing with them my warrant for the doing there- 
of; and thou art to deliver all and every thy certifi- 
cates unto Fenwick Adams, my secretary and regis- 
ter, or to him who executes the said office on his 
behalf, to the end they may be registered together 
with other certificates accordingly. Given at New 



SALEM, IN WEST JERSEY. 21 

Salem, under my hand and seal, the eighteenth day 
of the Seventh month, commonly called September, 
1676, and in the eight-and-twentieth year of the reign 
of Charles the Second, King of England, &c. &c. 

By John Fenwick, Esq., Lord or chief proprietor 
of the moiety or half part of the said province in 
America. 

At a council and consultation held at the town of 
New Salem, for Fenwick's colony, within the said 
province,'the sixteenth day of the Third month, com- 
monly called May, 1678 — by 

John Fenwick, Lord or chief proprietor ; 

Saml. Hedge, Surveyor General ; 

James Nevill, Secretary ; 

John Smith, Edward Bradway, John Pledger, 
William Malster — four of the Council, besides the 
other two ; 

Edward Wade, Redger Huckins, Christopher 
White, Richard Whitacar, for William Hancock — 
four purchasers ; 

Christopher White, Edward Bradway, and James 
Nevill, now inhabitants within the said town and 
colony, being settled upon their several town lots, 
demanded their several tracts of land granted to them 
in .England, as by their several deed-polls appears, 
to the end that they, their families and servants, may 
not only be enabled to live, but also keep in work, 
and full employment ; and therefore prayed their 
several tracts might be forthwith set forth and sur- 
veyed, otherwise they must be forced to sell all and 
return for England, which will tend to their utter 



22 FIRST SETTLEMENT OF 

ruin, if not timely prevented. Thereupon their con- 
ditions were taken into consideration, and a con- 
siderable time spent in the debate thereof, and that 
upon the perusal of the orders heretofore made con- 
cerning the setting forth of all such tracts of land, 
and proceedings thereupon, it did appear that no rea- 
son could be shown why they, and such persons that 
are now come to sit down and inhabit within the 
colony, should be forced to stay for their tracts, till 
all that are named in the former proceedings have 
their tracts of land set out, seeing they themselves 
have neglected to sue out their warrants for the set- 
ting forth and surveying of their lands, and planting 
of them themselves, according to the true intent of 
the said orders and all other proceedings : And 
therefore it was thought fit (not only for the accom- 
modating the said persons, but also for the encour- 
aging of all and every the purchasers that will come 
forthwith to sit down and plant iheir several tracts 
of land,) to order and declare that there shall be no 
other method used for the future, than to admit every 
purchaser as they come in order to their sueing forth 
of their warrants, to set forth their tracts. And 
thereupon to set down and plant them themselves, 
that so no vacancies may be left between tract and 
tract, of which the said chief proprietor is desired to 
ake care to prevent, as he shall see cause. 



SALEM, IN WEST JERSEV. 23 

No. CyES. SS. 

By John Fenwick, Esq., Lord or chief pro- 
prietor of the said province, and in particu- 
lar of Fenwiclv's colony, within the same. 

IHE SUMMONS FOR PERSONS TO ENTER THEIR 

CLAIMS wiTHiiv A MONTH.— Whcrcas, there are 
divers and sundry persons, both Dutch and French, 
as well as English, who have presumed upon none 
or very slender pretences to claim an interest unto 
several tracts, pieces and parcels of land, Iving with- 
in my said colony, without applying themselves unto 
me, and producing any lawful authority to warrant 
their doings therein; and to secure them who have 
entered upon, cut down the woods, and settled them- 
selves upon their supposed plantations, either as their 
tenants or purchasers, all which tends to the breach 
ot the king s peace within the said colony, besides 
the obstructing of the settlement thereof, contrary to 
his majesty s letters patent, bearing date the twelfth 
day of March, in the sixteenth year of his rei^n. 
1 he grant from James Duke of Yorke, bearing date 
he four-and-twentieth day of June, in the said six- 
teenth year of his said majesty's reign, made unto 
John Lord Berkeley and Sir George Carteret, knight 
and baronet, jointly. And the said Lord Berkeley's 
deed, made unto me, of his whole moiety and half 
part, bearing date the eighteenth day of the First 
month, commonly called March, in the year one 
thousand six hundred seventy-and-three, and enrolled 
in the high court of chancery within the kingdom of 
England, and hath been produced to Major Edmund 
Andross; the Governor of New York, and his coun- 



24 FIRST SETTLEMENT OF 

cil, for their preventing of future trouble, and ther 
furtherance of the settling of the said moiety, half 
part and colony, by me, and all and every the pur- 
chasers who lawfully claim under me. These are 
therefore to will and require all and every such per- 
son and persons above mentioned, and in his ma- 
jesty's name, straightly to charge and command 
them, and every of them, to come and appear before 
me, and to bring every paper, order and warrant, 
which they have to show for their pretended titles, to 
the end they may be enrolled in a book for that pur- 
pose provided, and thereupon a day appointed for 
their several appearance before me and my council, 
in order to a final determination of each man's par- 
ticular interest, according to the law of England, and 
the said late lords proprietors' concessions establish- 
ed in order thereunto within the said province, in 
pursuance of the said letters patent and several grants 
aforesaid ; so that I, and them the said persons with 
all that claim under me, may not only receive satis- 
faction, but also that my said colony, and all the 
planters within the same, may be settled in the love 
of God by the laws of the king of England, and in 
that peace which becomes all our great professions of 
being christians, and declarations, oaths and sub- 
scriptions of our bearing true allegiance unto the 
king of England, his heirs and successors ; and to 
all and every person and persons that are concerned 
as aforesaid, and not to fail, upon notice hereof, forth- 
with to appear accordingly, so as within one month 
after the date hereof, the business maybe settled, and 
they no ways to suffer through their contempt. 



SALEM, IN WEST JERSEY. 25 

Given under my hand and seal, at New Salem, 
this sixteenth day of the Third month, commonly 
called May, in the year, according to the English 
accoimt, one thousand six hundred seventy and 
eight, and in the thirtieth year of the reign of King 
Charles the Second of England, &c. 

The adventurers to this American colony of Fen- 
wick's were persons who exhibited the greatest reso- 
lution and enduring fortitude in locating themselves 
here, surrounded by vast numbers of savages — 3000 
miles from their native home — a wide ocean between 
them, and cut off from all the endearments of civil- 
ized life — a sickly and howling wilderness before 
them, and very indifferently provided with even the 
common necessaries of life — the proprietor himself 
largely indebted for the great purchase he had made 
— and, to crown all his troubles, some of the emi- 
grants, not long after their arrival, showed symptoms 
of discontent, and a few even contemned his au- 
thority. Yet he had the tact to manage his concerns 
in such a way as that he lost no influence, or but a 
little, among the majority of the well-disposed ; his 
sterling good sense pointed out to him the necessity 
of keeping upon the very best terms with his neigh- 
bors, the Indians — so much so, that I have never 
heard that they had at any time proved unruly or 
treacherous, either towards him or any of the set- 
tlers. He hastened to establish such a government 
as he could well do, according to the circumstances of 
the times in which they were then placed — appointed 
all the necessary officers thereof — located his office 
3 



26 FIRST SETTLEMENT OF 

for the transaction of all kinds of business, in a small 
house about 200 yards above the Salem bridge, on 
the rising ground near the creek, and which was 
designated with the imposing title of, *' My office at 
Ivy Point.'' 

Fenwick appoints Gov. Pe>'n guardian to his 
THREE grand-sons. — Fcuwick in his will appointed 
and constituted that reputed great and good man, 
Governor Penn, the guardian of his three favorite 
grand-sons, viz: Fenwick Adams, Samuel Hedge, 
Jr., and John Champneys, to the exclusion of their 
own fathers. He was also one of his executors, in 
conjunction with John Smith of Smithfield, Samuel 
Hedge of Hedgefield, and Richard Tlndal of Tindal's 
Bower. During the nonage of these three grand- 
sons, his executors were empowered by said will to 
sell and dispose of what quantity of land fhat they 
could, for the payment of his debts ; they did so, and 
almost all the people of these counties have derived 
remotely their title to their lands from these exe- 
cutors. 

On the 1st March, in the year 1682, Fenwick 
conveyed the moiety of his proprietary, which he 
originally purchased from John Lord Berkeley, to 
Governor Penn, of Pennsylvania, excepting and re- 
serving therefrom, to himself, his heirs and assigns, 
for ever, all that tract of country which was called 
Fenwick's colony, containing, as was supposed, 
150,000 acres. This clause in the deed being as 
follows — " Excepting and always foreprised out of 
this grant, to the said John Fenwick, his heirs and 
assigns, the quantity of one hundred and fifty thous- 



SALEM, IN WEST JERSEY. 2< 

and acres, in the tract of land called Fenwick's co- 
lony, being part and parcel of the aforesaid tenth, 
with powers and privileges henceforth to hold and 
keep court leets and court barons, under the govern- 
ment of the said William Penn, his heirs and assigns, 
in such part thereof where he hath not already grant- 
ed and alienated the power of so doing, together with 
all the rents, issues and profits thereof ; in consider- 
ation whereof, the said John Fen wick, his heirs and 
assigns, shall pay unto the said William Penn, his 
heirs and assigns, yearly for ever, Two Buckskins, 
on the twenty-ninth day of September in every year, 
if lawfully demanded ; together with all royalties, 
powers, escripts and miniments whatsoever, except- 
ing which partly relates to the before excepted and 
foreprised lands, touching and concerning the said 
premises, or any part or parcel of them. 

The following agreement between William Penn, 
and Samuel Hedge, John Smith, and Richard Tin- 
dal, executors of John Fenwick, is in these words : 

" Several things discoursed of to be agreed upon be- 
tween William Penn, Proprietor and Governor of 
Pennsylvania and territories, and Samuel Hedge, 
John Smith, and Richard Tindal, executors of Mr. 
John Fenwick — That the said WiUiam Penn, being 
proprietor by conveyance or deed from the said John 
Fenwick, may from time to time take up land and 
dispose of land for the planting and improving of the 
colony, providing always that the heirs and assigns 
of the said John Fenwick have the reserved number 
of one hundred and fifty thousand acres, that the same 
may from time to time be taken up, planted, or dis- 



*3S FIRST SETTLF-MKNT OF 

jA»sed of, for the use opj)oinled by Ills will for thni pur- 
pose; that the said Samuel Hedge, Richard Tindai, and 
John Smith, do condescend to that the said William 
Penn get the neck lx^lw«xn Sakiu«Teckand( )Id-marr8 
creek, so tar as the same is unsold or dis|K)s<'d of 
by John F«nwirk, shall be and is hrrchy all»»tl«Ml to 
be dis|K>s<"d of or s«'ltle<i by William Penn from time 
to time for the royalties of siich lands as an* dis- 
posed of, he inakini; full reprise for the same, that 
John Smith agntth to n'sijjn his five hundn'd acres 
in the town tor 500 elscwluTe in the same jurisdic- 
tion, nferrini; to him a double town lot, each lot being 
fifteen acres ; — th«' mnaindcr to be common until 
taken by warrants as town lots— except 60 acres for 
a town and a etiminanil<'<hant tn the proprietor Wil- 
liam l\-nn, — that th«' lot already laid out Ik' fore the 
first day of lln' ICighlh month tnsuin;^ the date hereof, 
be s4^tlled by tlie res|)e<*tivc owners— <*b*e fr»«<' to be 
s«^ttl»'d by others [wyinj; the value of the said Iota as 
it is judjied io o|)en court that there may be a gene- 
ral warraht i^rantiti by th<^ said William Penn to the 
surveyinjj ih*- truth, enabling him to resur>ey all 
tracts eompleate<| as of mon* than may be comini; to 
his atjent for tlu- time b<Mng. — Dated Salmi, lUlh of 
the 2d month, IOH4. 

Signwl, William I^enn, 

NVitness, Samikl IIkdor, 

Artiii'r Cook, ^^ John Smith, 

James Nevell. Richard Tindall. 

During the civil wars that were raging and in 
which Charles Stewart, King of England, was be- 



SALF.M, 1\ WEST JXRSEY. 29 

headed — Oliver Cromwell, being the exemplar for 
Napoleon Bonaparte in these modern times, seized 
upon the reins of govrrnnKnt ; and we have good 
reason to think that Fenwick was actively engased 
in those hl(x>dy and turbulent scenes, and by his ex- 
ertions, in some measure, assisted to promote the ele- 
vation of that hypocritical and whining usurper. 

King Charles decapitated. — You may proba- 
bly remember that the jud^n's composing the high 
court of justice, as they styled themselves, who pass- 
ed sentence of death against King Charles I. were 
branded with the approbrious epithets of regicides, 
in the reign of his son Charles II. who succeeded to 
the throne. One of that number was Oliver Crom- 
well. He gave a commission to John Fenwick as 
major of cavalry, commanding him to attend with Ids 
squadron, and, in conjunction with the foot troops 
under the commands of Colonel Hacker, Col. Huncks 
and Lieut. Colonel Phayer, see to the execution of 
decapitating the king being carried into efiect — which 
was done on the 13th January, 1648. « 

The commission to Fenwick, was written through- 
out in the hand writing of Cromwell, with his signa- 
ture and seal affixed. 

Three of those regicides fled to this country, and 
I would recommend to my young hearers to look into 
the historical collections of Connecticut, and there 
they will find much to amuse and instruct themselves 
respecting them. 

The death warrant was in these words, and signed 
by the judges whose names are hereunto annex- 
ed :— 

3* 



30 FIRST SETTLEMENT OP 

At the liigh Court of Justice, for the tryiftg and in- 
dicting of Charles Stewart, King of England, Ja- 
nuary 29th, Anno Domine, 1648. 
Whereas, Charles Stewart, King of England, is 
and standeth convicted, attainted and condemned of 
liigh treason, and other high crimes, and sentence 
upon Saturday last was pronounced against him by 
this court to he put to death by the severing of his 
head from his body, of whirli sentence execution yet 
remaineth to Ixj done. Th<se are, therefore, to will 
and require you to see the said sentence executed in 
the ojK'U street before Whitehall, upon the morrow, 
Ixing the tliirtieth day of this instant month of Ja- 
nuary, Ix'tween the hours of ten in the morning and 
five in the alUrnoon of the same day with full efTect. 
And for so doing this shall l)c your sufficient warrant. 
And these are to require all officers and soldiers and 
other the good people of this nation of England to be 
assisting unto you in this service. Given under our 
hands and seals. 

To Colonel Francis Hacker, Col. Huncks and 
Lieutenant Col. Phayer, and to every of them. 

Here follows the names of the Judges, with their 
titles attached to them — 

President, John Bradshaw, 

Col. Thomas Lord Grey, 

Lieut. Col. O. Cromwell, 

Col. Edward Whalley,* 

Sir Michael Livcsey, 

Col. John Okey, ^ 

Sir John Danvers, 

Sir John Bowrehier, 

Commissary General Henry Ireton, 



SALEM, IN WEST JERSEY. 31 

Sir Thomas Malverer, 
John Blackstone, Esquire, 
Col. John Hutchenson, 
Col. William Goff,* 

Thoruid, 

Col. Peter Temple, 

Col. Thomas Harrison, 

Henry Smith, Esquire, 

Peregrine Pelham, Esquire, 

Col Richard Dean, 

Robert Titchbourne, Alderman of London, 

Col. Thomas Hammond, 

Daniel Blagrave, Esquire, 

Col. Owen Rowe, of London, 

Col. William Purefoy, 

Col. Adrian Scrope, 

Col. James Temple, 

Augustine Garland, Esquire, 

Col. Edward Ludlow, 

Henry Marten, Esquire, 

Thomas Scott, 

John Carew, Esquire, 

Miles Corbet, Esquire, 

Vincent Potter, 

Sir William Constable, Knight, 

Col. Richard Ingoldesby, 

William Cawley, Esquire, 

Col. Isaac Ewer, 

John Dixwell, Esquire, '^ 

Valentine Walton, 

Simon Mayne, Esquire, 

Col. Thomas Horton, 



32 FIRST SETTLEMENT OF 

John Jones, Esquire, 

Col. John Venne, of London, 

Gilbert Millington, Esquire, 

Col George Fleetwood, 

Col. Robert Lilburne, 

William Say, Esquire, 

Col. Anthony Stapley, 

Sir Gregory Norton, 

Thomas Challoneer, Esquire, 

Thomas Wogan, 

Gregory Clement, Esquire, 

John Penn, 

John Downes, Rsquire, 

Col. Thomas Wayte. 
* Those marked * are those who fled to this coun- 
try and died in New England. 

Bradshaw commisssions Fenwich as Captain of 
Cavalry. — The first of those Judges who signed 
that death warrant was John Bradshawe ; he was 
chosen President of the Parliament, which afterwards 
had the nickname of the Rymp Parliament. Brad- 
shaw issued a commission to Fen wick, in the follow- 
ing words, "by virtue of the authority to us commit- 
ted by the Parliament, we do hereby constitute and 
appoint you, Major John Fenwick, to be a captain of 
a troop of horse, of such well affected persons as 
shall voluntarily list themselves under you in the 
county of Surrey, for the defence of the said county, 
and the commonwealth, against any of the enemies 
thereof, which troop you are with all expedition to 
list and prepare, and all officers and soldiers of the 
same are hereby required to be obedient to your com- 



SALEM, IN WEST JERSEY. 83 

mand as their captain by virtue of this commission 
given unto you; and you are to observe and obey such 
orders and directions as you shall from time to time 
receive from the Parliament, this council, the Lord 
General, or from any other authorised by them, or 
either of them for that purpose. Given at the Coun- 
cil of State at White Hall this 4th September, 1651." 
Jo. Beadshaw, President. 
Fenwick's certificate of church member- 
ship. — Fenwick was also a member of a religious so- 
ciety, according to this certificate. "These are to cer- 
tify the churches of Jesus Christ, and all others whom 
it may any ways concern, that the bearer hereof. Ma- 
jor John Fenwick, is, and hath been for several years 
last past, an admitted member of that church of 
Christ, whereof John Goodwin is pastor ; and that 
he hath ever since said knowledge of him behaved 
himself toward us, and all others, so far as we have 
heard, with all Christian wisdom, innocence, and ho- 
liness of conversation. And therefore we desire the 
churches of Christ will please to give him the right 
hand of fellowship in their holy administrations. In 
testimony whereof, we have subscribed our names 
this 11th February, 1649. 

John Goodwin, 
Wm. Allen, 
John Price, 
John Griggs, 
James Parris," 

From these certificates it must be apparent that 
Fenwick was a man of high condideration among 



34 FIRST SETTLEMENT OF 

the leading characters at that time, and must have 
exercised great influence among the different classes 
of the people, or he could not have acquired 
that public distinction which these documents ex- 
hibit. 

Town Plots. — Fenwick conceived the plan, and 
would endeavor to have carried it into effect, if his 
life had been spared but a few years, and he not been 
interrupted by his enemies, by laying out plots for 
towns in several places in his proprietary. Salem 
was to be the capitol, with its court leets and court 
barons. A town to be laid out where the Swedes 
had a small fort, and to be called "Finnstown 
point." Lasse Hendricks, Stephen Yearneans, Mat- 
thias Spackleson, and Erick Yearneans, were Swedes, 
who being at that time located there, purchased from 
Fenwick, 1000 acres opposite Fort Delaware, which 
they called Pumpian's hook. Erick Yearneans, he 
appointed his bailiff over the bailiwick of west Fen- 
wick, which we now call Penn's Neck. 

Another town to be laid out at the cove in upper 
Penn's Neck, which was to have been called "Bout- 
town Finns." On the Cohanzick river, or as he af- 
terwards directed it to be called Cpssaria. river, and 
where is now the town of Greenwich, town lots were 
laid out, and the town to be called Cohanzick, where 
a court house was to be built, and courts held there. 

Fenwick had several brothers, but I cannot find 
that any of them came to America. His fathers 
name was William Fenwick, who with his eldest 
son, and who was also the heir apparent, con- 
veyed a life estate in certain parts of their 
property to John Heron of Burkley, and to 



SALEM, IN WEST JERSEY. 35 

Francis Burdett, to raise the sum of £500 reserv- 
ing and retaining certain closes therein mentioned ; 
and reserving also an annual payment in cash to 
each of their wives, of £50. This conveyance 
was for the term of 30 years. It may be probable 
that this transfer was made to save the estate from 
confiscation, or some other difficulty that might hap- 
pen in those troublesome times. John Fenwick is 
mentioned in that deed of conveyance. The Fenwick 
family, I have reason to believe, were numerous, — but 
how they stood related to each other, I cannot say. 
Col. Nicholas Fenwick was a cousin to John Fen- 
wick. There was a Col. George Fenwick who came 
over and settled at Say Brook, in Connecticut, and 
remained there some years as an agent or supervisor 
to a large tract of land, until the death of his wife; 
he then returned to England about the year 1648, 
and was appointed one of the Judges for the trial of 
Charles I. 

It appears mysterious, why the wife of Fenwick 
did not accompany him to America, and in her let- 
ters to him, she does not advert to any of his children. 
She no doubt was the step mother, and did not ex- 
hibit such feelings as are natural to her sex; proba- 
bly she had an independent fortune of her own, and 
did not choose to risk it and herself in this then 
savage wilderness. 

Among the numerous troubles and vexations which 
assailed Fenwick, none appear to have distressed 
him more than the base and abandoned conduct of 
his granddaughter Elizabeth Adams, who attached 
herself to a citizen of color (as we say now-a-days.) 



36 FIRST SETTLEMENT OF 

By his will he disinherits her and her offspring for- 
ever, " except, as he says, the Lord open her eyes to 
see her abominable transgression against Him, me^ 
and her poor father, by giving her true repentance, 
and forsaking that blacTc, that hath been the ruin of 
her," 

From that illicit connection hath sprung the fami- 
lies of the Goulds, at a little settlement called Gould- 
town in Cumberland county. 

Fenwick's death. — During all the various, in- 
incessant and perplexing cares by which he was 
beset, together with his cruel and tyrannical impri- 
sonment in New York, and after his release from 
his confinement, and while designing to reside 
but for a short time at his plantation in Upper Mar- 
mington, which he called Fenwick's grove, in E^st 
Fenvvick, he was, while there taken sick and died, 
and was buried in the family burying ground about 
two hundred yards from the main road leading to- 
wards the poor house, and near the line of that farm. 
I believe there is nothing at this time to mark the 
place where the remains of that adventurous and 
great man lie, except a thicket of briars and bram- 
bles. 

Family burying grounds were common throughout 
the county, and interments were continued to be 
made therein until long since the different religious 
societies had established their own. 

Fenwick having involved himself in great difficul- 
ties with some of the large proprietors in not com- 
plying with his engagements and contracts in lands 



SALEM, IN WEST JERSEY. 37 

and money matters, was treated by them with rude- 
ness and cruelty ; and from his story, if true, pretty 
much after the lynch law manner as has been prac- 
ticed in the western states. I will here state his ac- 
count of his sufferings and injustice done him, to- 
gether with letters from his wife, and the state of the 
case made out by Sergeant Edward Saunders, re- 
specting him and his opponents, and leave every one 
to form their own opinion of him and the conduct of 
the other proprietors, or large land-holders, as may 
be in accordance with their own judgments. 

Nova Cesaria, ss. 

The remonstrance and declaration, by 

John Fenwick, Esquire, one of the Lords 
or Chief Proprietors of the said proprietary, 
and particularly of Fenwick's colony, lying 
within the same, sendeth greeting — 
Whereas, it cannot be denied, but owned and ac- 
knowledged by all that have been and are concerned 
with me, both in England and here in America, that I 
bought, with my own money, (besides my great ex- 
penses and care,) of John Lord Berkeley, one of the 
late and absolute Lords Proprietors of the said pro- 
vince, all his royalties in as full and ample manner 
as James, Duke of York had granted unto him, as 
by his deed of the eighteenth day of March, 1673, 
upon record both in England and within the said 
colony, appeareth. 

That afterwards (to wit) for the sake of God's 
own blessed truth, and for my own outward peace, 
more than for any other obligation which either law 
4 



38 FIRST SETTLEMENT OF 

or iequity could compel me to, 1 was persuaded by 
William Penn to reserve the tenth part of my said 
justly purchased interest to me, my heirs and assigns, 
for ever, (in hopes to have peaceably and quietly en- 
joyed the same for a colony,) and to sell the other 
nine parts to him, the said William Penn, Gawin 
Laurie and Nicholas Lucas, their heirs and assigns, 
for £900, as by the deed triparte thereof likewise 
upon record appeareth. 

Notwithstanding many illegal practices and designs 
(which are too many now to mention, because at this 
time I design brevity,) have been perpetrated and 
most ruinously carried on against me and my said in- 
terest by these men and their abettors, in order to 
the ruining of me, my family, and all those that in 
simplicity embarked themselves with me, and claimed 
lands under me within said colony. 

That by means of such unchristian perplexities, 
my person has been several times assaulted, my life 
often and greatly endangered by forcing a gun laden 
with many swan shot within four yards of my breast, 
and a pistol discharged with two bullets within two 
or three feet of my neck ; after my house was beset, 
my door broken down, and my person seized on in 
the night time by armed men sent to execute a paper 
order from the Governor of New York, to whom I 
was sent prisoner in the depth of winter by sea — his 
order being to bring me dead or alive ; — where he 
tried me, himself being judge, keeping me imprisoned 
for the space of two years and about three months, — 
albeit that it was not, nor could not be proved that I 
had broken any of the King's laws. 

During which time John Eldridge, Edmund War- 



SALEM, IN WEST JERSEY. 39 

ner, William Penn, Gawin Laurie, Nicholas Lucas, 
Edward Billings and Richard Langhorne of the Tem- 
ple, counsellor at law, (who lately was executed for 
treason,) combined together to cheat me of my whole 
estate, as by the said Langhorne's letter under his hand 
which I have, ready to be produced, having therein, as 
it were, buried me alive ; so that my name was never 
more to be used in theirs nor myown concerns afore- 
said. 

That Gawin Laurie sent or delivered th,e aforesaid 
letter to James Basse,who being in my colony caused 
it to be read to all the inhabitants, and it was pub- 
lished afterwards by Richard Guy throughout the 
said province ; in and by which their notorious treach- 
eries and deceit was proclaimed, as well as I was con- 
sidered naked (for having no estate or interest either 
in land or goods) as an oak leaf. 

Upon the reading and publishing of the said most 
shameful letter, James Basse and Richard Guy be- 
gan vigorously to seize upon my said colony, causing 
the same' to be surveyed by Richard Hancock (my 
sworn surveyor general) without my knowledge, al- 
beit they knew or might have known that I purchased 
the Indian interest thereof, at my own just charge, of 
all or most parts of the land which lieth between a 
creek beyond Cohanzick, to Old-Man's creek, called 
by the natives Masucksey. 

And further, to the end that they might enjoy this 
their unparalleled fraud, the said confederates, or 
some of them, wrote many letters to Richard Guy, 
and other their agents at Burlington, to use all their 
care and industry, to keep and improve this their ill- 



40 FIRST SETTLEMENT OF 

gotten interest in my said colony, and so dispose 
thereof as by their orders. 

And in pursuance thereof, Richard Guy, Edward 
Wade, Edward Bradway, and James Nevill have 
done what they could to promote the same (under the 
pretext of the said Governor's commission, which was 
for one year or until further order, and since the ex- 
piration thereof, (which was in the Eighth month last) 
by hindering me from disposing of my land and go- 
verning the people according to my legal authority, 
and the government established within this province, 
which can no wise be legally altered but by the con- 
sent of the lords or chief proprietors, their council 
and assembly summoned by their authority, and this 
all that are concerned will in time be forced to ac- 
knowledge and submit to before the confusion which 
is now among us can be appeased, and these great 
and many enormities (which it hath produced be 
swept away,) for thereby the name and blessed truth 
of God has been and is blasphemed. And all that 
owns and professeth the same is become a scorn, and 
hissing to the common people (nay even to the na- 
tives) who are more righteous in their dealings and 
love to one another, than those who know and pro- 
fesseth the truth ; but by their deeds (which are not 
warrantable neither by the laws of God nor the king.) 
do wilfully rebel against it, which is a grief and bur- 
then to my soul, and the souls of them who groan 
within, in, and under the sense hereof. 

That I it has y)l(ased our merciful and almighty 
God now at last to instigate the people at Burlington 
to stand up and oppose the power, (that has hitherto 



SALEM, IN WEST JERSEY. 41 

obstructed the settlement of this part of the said pro- 
vince upon the true basis of the said power and go- 
vernment which is and ought to be within the whole 
province, as its entire right, and they have met, as I 

am given to understand, and appointed the 25th 

month in order to their settlement; nevertheless they 
seem to be in pursuit of those unwarrantable and il- 
legal conspirators of justice (which was to rob me of 
my just right and property, in which the people are 
concerned also,) having as it were to attend them 
at the trial and place appointed, as if my said colony 
and people therein v> ere to be subjected under them 
and led by the concessions of their own controver- 
sies, which is contrary to law, royalty and good con- 
science, the customs of all foreign plantations and 
the said government established within this province, 
and so has been all the said former proceedings 
against me, as will be proved to the shame of all 
that have had a hand therein. 

For proof of which I desire all sober men further to 
consider what the known and established laws of 
England saith — I mean Magna Charta — which has 
been confirmed by above 32 parliaments, and the 
29th chapter runs thus : " No man shall be taken or 
imprisoned or disseized of his freehold, or titles or 
or free customs, or be outlawed, or exiled,or merchan- 
dize destroyed, nor shall the king pass or send upon 
him, nor condemn him but by lawful judges, or by 
his equals, or by the laws of the land — we shall set 
to no man's nod, shall deny or defer to no man either 
justice or right." 

This law is the rule of every just judge ; his line, 
4* 



42 FIRST SETTLEMENT OF 

his measure, his weight, his yard, his balance ; it is 
called right itself, and common law because it judgeth 
common right by a right line, which is the judge of 
itself. 

Now where is the judgement, where is the sentence 
or decree by virtue of this law that has condemned " 
me to die, or to have no society among these men in 
this affair nor to enjoy my own property? Where 
is the sentence by this law that has taken from me 
my property, justly purchased, right, title and interest, 
and divested me of all my freeholds, Hberty and free 
enjoyments? Where is the decree to be found ground- 
ed upon the said law, that doth declare that my whole 
estate pretence whereof the said John Eldridge and 
Edmund Warner wished to secure themselves £170 
155. and pay my other debts as by the deed of 
mortgage and trust (which counsellor Saunders saith 
in his case under his hand witnessed by five suffi- 
cient witnesses, is proved) is Eldridge's credit, War- 
ner's, and not mine, which neither law nor equity 
consider. Because, 1st, they never paid anything 
for it ; for the account mentioned in the deed was 
not stated by them, as they promised me before I ex- 
ecuted the said deed, that I might sign the same to 
them, and they likewise to me. 2dly. That the 
debts which they undertook to pay out of the said 
sum remaining in their hands for that purpose, they 
never yet made it appear that they paid the same, nor 
did they ever pay me the said sum of £lOO 15^. 
any otherwise. And 3d. They sold not one foot of 
my land to pay any of my debts mentioned in the 
said security by John Eldridge in his confessions be- 



SALEM, IN WEST JERSEY. 43 

fore many witnesses ; but made a fraudulent deed of 
my temporalities (those 140,000 acres was except d 
out of the security given William Penn as aforesaid) 
to William Penn, Gawin Laurie and Nicholas Lucas, 
in consideration of 20 shillings, to cheat me (as the 
counsellor Saunders saith further in his case.) Be- 
sides they have received (by virtue of a letter of at- 
torney which T gave them for their further security) 
£119 out of £451, which they should have re- 
ceived for me, and as yet never gave me any ac- 
count of. Oath is made thereof in Chancery, where 
they refuse to answer and give me a just account, 
(that so it might have been, or now, determined for 
me or for them,) because they pretend they cannot 
sware, whilst their consciences have been and is so 
large as to endeavour all along to cheat, circumvent 
and go beyond me ; and that with open face thinking 
to weary me and all that anywise assist me, and so 
to ruin me and mine out of all we have, by boasting 
of their great purses and multitudes of their confede- 
rates with them in these their hellish designs, Bu^ I 
doubt not of their being disappointed and frustrated 
in their hopes, as that their grand Jesuitical councel- 
lor Langhorne was. For the righteous God, whose 
wrath has been revealed from heaven, in all ages, 
against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, 
neither slumbers nor sleeps — neither doth the aforesaid 
law, for the breakers or alterers thereof has been 
generally punished by the execution of 44 unjust 
judges under one king, and many more since under 
others. And for any to alter the established laws in 
any part by force, is judged by parliament to be high 



44 FIRST SETTLEMENT OF 

treason, as also, if any go about to subvert them is 
likewise noted high treason. 

Forasmuch, therefore, as law, equity, and good 
conscience, the same government and customs of this 
and other provinces, every way pleads for my just 
right, title, interest and present possession of this my 
colony, I do henceforth resolve and do hereby de- 
clare, that I will assume my said lawful and absolute 
power and authority, desiring all the king's loving, 
peaceable, and obedient subjects, and in his majesty's 
name, do hereby will and require them and every of 
them inhabiting within my said colony, to take notice 
thereof, and to yield obedience hereunto. For it is 
invested in me, by virtue of his majesty's letters pa- 
tent here exemplified, under the great seal of England, 
granted at my request according to law to justify my 
said interest, which I derive from the said Duke of 
York, granted to John Lord Berkeley, and the said 
Lord Berkeley's grant to me. So that no man can 
claim any right to any part of the said Lord Berke- 
ley's late interest, but what they claim under me as 
aforesaid. And accordingly I will put my said power 
and authority in execution, in settling the grievances 
within my said colony, according to that government 
which has been and is observed and settled within 
the said province, and to govern his majesty's sub- 
jects according to the concessions and laws estab- 
lished by the said John Lord Berkley and Sir George 
Carteret. And I shall and will forthwith choose a 
council, and issue forth my precept (with their ad- 
vice) to call an assembly, to set within my colony, 
that it may be settled, and the people's rights and 



SALEM, IN WEST JERSEY. 45 

properties preserved together with the public peace. 
A.nd thereby suppress or prevent all mutinies, insur- 
rections and confusion. That so we may be in a ca- 
pacity to associate with other his majesty's plan- 
tations, our neighbour provinces and colonies, against 
his majesty's and our public enemies, whenever they 
attempt to disturb our peacr. Given under my hand 
It Fenvvick's Ivy, the 12th day of the First month, 
commonly called March, in the 31st year of the 
reign of the king, and in the year 1678-9. 

FENWICK. 
Note. The reader is refered to particulars in 
Smith's History of New Jersey, pages 83 to 87. 

From the foregoing account, it is apparent that 
Richard Hancock had joined the coalition (against 
Fenwick, his friends and interest,) composed of EU 
dridge, Warner, Penn, Laurie, Lucas, Billings, and 
Langhorne. 

Fenwick therefore revokes his commission that he 
had given to Richard Hancock, as his surveyor ge- 
neral. His revocation is in the following words : 

"That Richard Hancock had dismissed himself 
from being: any longer my deputy surveyor general, 
because that he did not only perfidiously betray and 
deny my most legal and just interest — albeit, he had 
engaged twice under his hand, by way of an oath, 
to be true and faithful thereunto — but also refused, 
and wilfully neglected to obey, execute, and observe 
my commands and general warrants, when directed 
to him, or otherwise : Besides, he hath highly pre- 
sumed to endeavor to survey my colony, and divers 
parcels of land therein, by virtue of the arbitrary 



46 FIRST SETTLEMENT OF 

power and illegal orders of Richard Guy, James 
Nevill, and others his followers in connection — the 
which to justify, they and he did lately force from 
him, the said Richard Tindal, the legal commission 
I formerly gave him, (as my surveyor general,) and 
highly threatened to send him to prison, unless he 
would engage to act no more for me, nor by my 
order. All which their arbitrary practices and pro- 
ceedings are contrary to law, equity and good con- 
science, and contrary to the peace of our sovereign 
lord the king, his crown and dignity, as may be 
made appear. 

" Given under my hand and seal, the first day of 
the Tenth month, called December, 1680." 

letter from mary fenwick to john fenwick, 

27th august, 1678. 
My Dear, 

Thine of the 26th December last I received 
this 18th June, and that of the 13th, of 12th, and 
22d February, 1678, both in one, I received 6th 
July, and one enclosed to Mr. Weeks for Sir George 
Carteret. Poor Mr. Weeks is gone from the Ex- 
change to German street again, but he is quite blown 
up, and dares not show his face abroad. I suppose 
he will write to thee himself. I was to see Hich- 
court Adams, who is a fine boy and well kept. I 
saw not Ben his uncle, but his aunt told me that they 
and Henry Adams' widow had sent over a great 
many clothes for John and his children, and they 
had a hope, in short, that their token was received, 
and to desire some other things to be sent them ; but 



SALEM, IN WEST JERSEY. 47 

because it took no notice of Henry Grath, they ques- 
tioned whether it came from thee or not, and besides 
she says the trade of stocking weaving is now grown 
very dead. I sent thee a rope, such as is used 
with a seine, which cost £4, but till now I did not 
know that it was a net to catch fish in ; but Ben 
Bell being dead, I went to a shop to ask the price, 
and was told it would cost about £7, with all be- 
longing to it ; for it must be let alone till money 
can be found, and so must servants, both being too 
chargeable for me to procure thee. Poor James 
Garfield died about two months ago, of whom I have 
a very great want already, and shall lack him more 
daily. I verily believe the worsted and lace for the 
hat was in the box, but were overlooked and perhaps 
shattered in the opening of the goods, and may be 
found ere now by somebody. 15th November, 
1677. — I should have told thee first that I received 
thine sent by Sir Edmund Andross, and I came to 
London in January purposely to wait on him about 
giving thee liberty, as thou didst desire me ; and the 
Earl of Carlisle, who is since going to be Governor 
of Jamaica, spoke to him in thy behalf, by my cousin 
Edward Burdet's means ; and thy cousin Edward 
Burdet went to him himself, but his answer was that 
it was not in his power to release thee, but the court 
of assize must do it, or else the king, or Buckham ; 
and I was advised not to petition them, because Sir 
Edmund Andross in his discourse did so against thy 
offence in increasing more authority there than wr 
belonging to any subject, and presumed to beli^ 
all the story that had been brought against thee, 



48 FIRST SETTLEMENT OF 

it might have been rather a hurt to thee than any 
kindness, to have made in thy behalf whilst he was 
here, who in all probability would have opposed it in 
his own justification, and he has great power and 
friendship, as I hear, more than ever. For thou 
must be careful to give him no offence, by word or 
deed, henceforwards ; he sayd that thou hadst liber- 
ty, and might have staid at home, and ncedst not 
have returned to New York when thou didst. I 
hope thou didst receive John Ashfield's deed for 
10,000 acres, which was sent to theeln a packet by 
H. Salter and Mr. Malster, but thou dost not mention 
the receipt of it; he is now in favor with his father, 
and is with him, and his wife and child. Moll Ash- 
field is lately married, but thy friend, Col. Richard 
Ashfield, is dead. 

Thine of 16th* August, '77, by John Gordon. As 
for the sums of money Eldridge and Warner receiv- 
ed, I could not hinder them, being ignorant of them 
till thou wrote to me that they were owing ; but the 
deed whereby they appeared to be due being in their 
hand, it could not be expected that they would pay 
the money to me. Mr. Cumber told me that as soon 
as he had paid his money, Eldridge tore his bond all 
to pieces, but would not give it to Cumber, as Mrs. 
Lefevre can witness. H. Salter may acquaint thee 
thereof, the payment of their money, for they con- 
fessed it to me. Thos. Hootten is now come over 
again lately, and I went to his house, hoping to have 
heard some news of thee by him ; but he says he 
did not see thee, and that he sold his 6000 acres to 
Eldridge there, and doth not intend to go over any 



SALEM, IN WEST JERSEY, 49 

more. Edmund Warner met me at Thos. Hootten's 
house, and says, as Eldridge does, that they must 
have all charges and damages of thee, and nov/ pre- 
tend that they could sell no land till the dividend with 
Sir George Carteret was made, and after that was 
done, they were hindered by the suit in chancery. 
All his desire was, that he might be free from the 
charges he is at in the suit, for he has his liberty, 
and pretends that he helps to maintain Eldridge there 
by the week, who has all the accounts to make an 
agreement with them ; and I wish with all my heart 
it may be done there, that Warner may be freed, 

and I at quiet. I have not gotten a •, 

neither can get one till the , and then 

it will cost a great deal of money and trouble to get 
it, and will take hold of Warner here, but I know 
not what good it could do thee there against El- 
dridge ; indeed, they are so full of deceit and lies, 
and the business is so confused and out of my ele- 
ment to understand it, that I am exceedingly too sick 
what to do in it, besides that I have no money to dis- 
burse, and my nephew is not willing that I should 
run out any farther. Thy cousin Edward Burdet is 
very ready and willing upon all occasions to assist 
me, and has commended me to a very good chancery 
counsellor ; but I fear Fleming is knavish and false 
to thee, and greedy for money, but so snappish and 
unwilling to do anything in the business. Though 
it be to thy loss, thou wert better to bear it, for as 
thou canst but secure to thyself and children a com- 
petency to live upon there, and pay the same debts 
5 



60 FIRST SETTLEMENT OF 

thou owcst here upon thy schedule. For my money 
which I am out of purse, I shall be glad of" it when 
thou canst spare it to me ; but I would rather that 
thou shouldst clear those other debts first, than 
straighten thyself to pay me, and desire thee not to 
forget John Brumley for his plate, and poor Simon 
Robinson for his glasses — they are very poor. I 
could disprove Edward Warner's canting letter to 
thee, if it were worth my labor; for if thou comest 
over, I nor my friends are not obliged to maintain 
thee, except we wish ; but all the fear I know is, that 
if they had thee here, they would get thee laid up in 
prison, and take the opportunity to ruin thee and 
thine, both here and in New Jersey, which I suppose 
they aim at there, but cannot have their wills of thee 
so well as if they had thee here to do it. But thou 
mayst do as thou seest cause. 

Mar. ' WICK. 

I am sorry thou must be [lut to build thee a warmer 
house. 1 hope Mrs. Lefevre's brother will help thee 
in it, by contriving to make it warmer for thy own 
use, and as small as may be, that thou mayest not 
be troubled with any more in family than is neces- 
sary for thyself to live privately and retired as much 
as may be, especially in the winter season, which it 
seems is there very sharp. If thy letter comes not 
too late, I shall send thee some nails towards thy 
building ; and here is a note of a few small things I 
send thee by Mrs. Lefevre, which accept — being 
what I can, not what I would do if I were able. She 
has a note of them from me. She has told me how 



SALEM, IN WEST JERSEY. 51 

to send to thee again shortly by Maryland ; so till 
then I bid thee adieu, with my love to all thine, that 
am thy loving wife, 

Mary Fenwick. 

[Cask of nails, by Capt. Nichols.] 

N.B. I forgot to tell thee that Warner said thou didst 
strike Eldridge a great blow upon his face, at your 
first meeting with him, and threatened to be the death 
of him. I am sure they both told me that they had 
the opinion of two counsellors, that they had an ab- 
solute estate in thy imposts ; and though they can't 
for shame insist upon it now, they endeavor all they 
can to hinder thee from having any benefit by it, and 
I much fear thou wilt not get them to re-convey it, 
nor to come to any reasonable account with thee, but 
will so confound and obscure it, that thyself (and 
then to ' -j^'e nobody else) shall ever be able to 
understand it. Therefore, if thou canst by any 
means bring it to a certainty, though to thy loss, that 
the business may not always depend, and thy affairs 
remain in the confusion as they do. 

I received thy answer to Warner's account, but, 
as I before wrote to thee, he nor Jo. Fleming know 
that I got a copy of it at all, for I was only to read 
over his answer, and the account annexed to it, in 
the chancery office, and then to have it again with 
Fleming, only to tell Fleming whether I liked the 
answer, which I only read over once, and I remem- 
ber it was false as to what the ten parts stood there- 
in ; and I understand now it was drawn by Mr. 
Langhorne for him, and they would have had it put 
into court without an oath, which the court would 



52 FIRST SETTLEMENT OF 

not admit ; but Warner told me that he would have 
proved every particular of it ; so it is such a lame, 
imperfect account, that I have never yet owned to 
him that I think it will not do well to maintain thy 
answer to it, till I hear from thee again what account 
he has sent over to thee by Eldridge, so thou mayst 
compare them, and make the most thou canst to thy- 
self of it. Till two days ago I did not see Warner, 
nor speak with him, since the year 1676 ; he told 
me that the whole tenth part is not above 100,000 
acres, and that if thou hadst had thy deed, thou 
wouldst have sold the whole country, Carteret's part 
and all ; so 1 find he is embi'tered against thee ; but 
it will be thy wisdom and thy comf()rt to act as a 
christian, in deed as well as in name, by loving ene- 
mies, and doing good for evil, and forgiving them 
that thou mayst be forgiven thy trespasses. Our 
time here is short, and the fashion of this world 
passeth away. 

7th February, 1678-9, London. 
My Dear, 

I received thy packet and bundle of letters 
and papers very safe, and hope thou hast received 
all mine safely by Mrs. Lefevre, who went home at 
the end of August last, and by her farewell letters to 
advise thee to agree at any rate with Eldridge. I 
am sorry thou didst not curb thy passion, and make 
it thy business to bring the accounts to a just settle- 
ment before he came away ; for I think it is not 
possible to be done by any body but thyself, and that 
being done, thou might have gone on with thy pur- 



SALEM, IN WEST JERSEY. 53 

chasers and plantations ; but as it is, I see not how 
thou canst do any thing, either for them or thyself. 

Upon 7th September last I had a fall in the city 
down a pair of stairs, and brake my right arm, that 
I could not use it for a great while ; but I praise 
God, it is now much mended, and I hope after March 
it will be strong enough to dress myself, which as 
yet I cannot do, so I have been out of town till last 
week, ever since I was hurt. James Garville is 
dead, and cousin Burdet fled for his religion, and the 
whole nation exceedingly disturbed and affrighted by 
a popish design to kill the king, and destroy all, that 
they might bring in popery, if it had not pleased God 
to discover it, and I trust he will prevent it. 

Eld ridge and Warner have been with me. El- 
dridge says there was designs laid for his life, and 
that it was thy fault that you did not agree, and that 
thou wouldst not choose any but thy son Hedge. 
They both say they would have their money. I told 
them they must have it raised out of the land there ; 
but they say thou hast sold more than thy share al- 
ready ; but Warner says he would be willing to take 
land there for the money due him, and would fain be 
at liberty. Eldridge said thou didst refuse to set out 
his land, and told him he should not have one foot ; 
they said they would come again to me to try if there 
can be any way found out to compose their differ- 
ences. But I know not yet who 1 can get to help 
me, or do any thing for me therein. When my ne- 
phew Ward hears what they offer, we shall consider 
of it, and send thee word by the next ship. I shall 
be glad to hear from thee whether thou art at liberty 
5* 



54 FIRST SETTLEMENT OF 

by Mrs. Lefevre's friendship, and the letters she got 
for Sir Edmund Andross in thy behalf. I found she 
had some design in hand to make a fool upon the 
view, and to have thy concurrence therein ; but I do 
not understand the design, so must leave it to thy 
discretion and address, only I insist thou wouldst 
forbear to act as a lord proprietor, and to make or- 
ders and summon the people, till thou hast thy deed, 
and authority to do it ; and as for the tenth part 
which was thine, till the whole moiety be measured, 
and a dividend made of it, as Mr. Langhorne told 
Mrs. Lefevre, no man can say any part of the land 
is his own ; and now he is in prison about the plot, 
and it is not yet known whether he shall suffer or 
not — he being one of the chief promoters of it. 

The widow. Fellows, that keeps a brew house at 
Islington came to my nephew, Ward, to enquire what 
estate thou had'st left me, and came to me to tell me 
that she wants the money that thou and Jo. Weeks 
are bound to pay her, and desired me to write to thee 
for it. Jo. Weeks I doubt will never sell the land — 
his land is so far in debt. Eldridge and Warner 
spoke of thy coming over to end the business with 
them; but they could not tell me of Mrs. Fellows' debt. 
Edridge said he would have brought thee over, and 
was advised to do it, but would not, and if thou 
shouldst come, I verily believe thou wouldst not enjoy 
liberty to do thyself any good, and that J have will 
scarce maintain me ; for that I cannot supply thee at 
all; and I am sure my trustees will not lessen the flock 
any further than they have done already upon any 
account. 



SALEM, IN WEST JERSEY. 55 

I am very much troubled that thou has not yet 
made a return to John Brumley and Simon Robin- 
son of their ventures, and I fear the longer thee for- 
bears to do it, the worse ; for they both are needy 
people, and I fear they will be provoked to speak of 
it to thy disparagement and mine too, for sending it 
to thee, except thou wouldst be so just as to give 
them a speedy and honest account, which I desire thee 
to do as speedily as may be. 

I sent thee by Mrs. Lefevre a parcel of nails, some 
paper, and a parchment, and wax, and wafers, a pair 
of spectacles, and a pot of cucantellas balsam, which 
I hope came safe to thee, and that I shall hear by the 
next of thy liberty by her procurement, to whom I 
pray present my love and service, and to Mr. Mal- 
ster and his wife. 

I am uncertain where thou art now, for till I heai 
from thee I think not convenient to send anything to 
thee, but my hearty well wishes, that thou wouldst 
consider the time thou or I or any one in this life is 
short, — that we ought to seek peace and ensue it, 
and to bear injury patiently, and to deny ourselves, 
to become fools that we may be wise, to learn of him 
that was meek and lowly in heart, our great master, 
that we may find rest, to whose peace I commend 
thee and all thine. 

MARY FENWICK. 

N. B. Eldridge told me that thy purchasers here 
intend to sue him and me for their bargains, but all 
he says is not to be believed ; as soon as the weather 
is a little warmer I intend to sjo to some of them my- 
self. 



66 FIRST SETTLEMENT OF 

The true state of the case between John Fenwick 
Esq., and John Eldridge and Edmund Warner, 
concerning Mr. Fenwick's ten parts of his land 
in West New Jersey, in America. 
Mr. Fenwick being seized of and interested in ten 
equal (but undivided) hundred parts of the lands in 
New Cesaria, or New Jersey, and being indebted to 
several persons in England, as also the said Eldridge 
and Warner, and being to leave England, and having 
occasion for more present monies, agreed to borrow it 
of the said Eldridge and Warner, offering them se- 
curity by those lands, as counsel should think rea- 
sonable ; and being willing that his other creditors 
should be paid likewise, it was referred to counsel, 
indifferent betwixt them, to devise a security ; and 
likewise for the encouragement of purchasers, to put 
the estate in law, into the hands of the said Eldridge 
and Warner, and accordingly a lease for 1000 years 
is made by Fenwick to Eldridge and Warner,wherein 
it is mentioned; 

That Fenwick, to the intent and purpose Eldridge 
and Warner may be re-imbursed of the said monies, 
so as aforesaid due to them, with lawful interest for 
the same, at the rate of six pounds per cent, per an- 
num, to the time they shall be re-imbursed the same; 
and also to the intent they may and shall be re-im- 
bursed all such monies as they shall happen to pay 
in or towards satisfaction of the several debts, in a 
schedule to the said lease annexed, mentioned, to- 
gether with lawful interest for the same, at the rate 
aforesaid, from the time ofsuch payments of the several 
and respective debts aforesaid,to such time as they shall 



SALEM, IN WEST JERSEY. 57 

be reimbursed the same; and also for and in consider- 
ation of the sum of five shillings, &c. &c. — doth 
grant, bargain and sell, &c. all the lands, &c. — 
saving and foreprized all such pieces, parts, parcels, 
quantities, and number of acres of land, and whatso- 
ever else he, the said Fenwick, hath at any time be- 
fore the date of the said lease, granted, bargained, 
sold, aliened or conveyed to any person or persons 
whatsoever, by any grant, assurance or conveyance 
whatsoever, entered, written or copied in two register- 
books of the same tenure, provided and kept for that 
purpose, one whereof now remaineth, and is to re- 
main in the hands and custody of the said Eldridge 
and Warner, their executors, administrators and as- 
signs, to continue here in England, and the other of 
them now remaineth, and is to remain, in the hands 
and custody of the said Fen wick, his heirs and assigns, 
to be transported and kept at New Cesaria,or New Jer- 
sey aforesaid, Richard Guy and Richard Noble, having 
at the present the keeping of two of the keys thereof 
Upon special trust and confidence, nevertheles, in 
them, the said Eldridge and Warner, their executors, 
administrators and assigns, and every of them, and 
to these intents and purposes, following (that is to 
say) in the first place, that they the said Eldridge and 
Warner, their executors and administrators, out of 
such monies as shall arise by one or several sales, 
assignment and conveyance, or sales, assignments 
and conveyances, or otherwise, by under-lease or 
leases of all and singular the premises by the said 
lease demised, and granted, bargained or sold, or of 
any part or parcel thereof, do and shall re-imburse, 



58 FIRST SETTLEMENT OF 

repay and satisfy themselves of the said sum of one 
hundred and ten pounds and fifteen shillings, with 
interest for the same, after the rate aforesaid, and 
also re-imburse, re-pay, and satisfy themselves all 
such monies as they or any, or either of them shall 
any way lay out, expend, or pay in, for, or towards 
the satisfaction of the several debts and sums of mo- 
ney in the schedule, in the said lease annexed, men- 
tioned, together with interest for the same, after the 
rate and according to the computation aforesaid ; and 
also, shall re-imburse and satisfy themselves of all 
such costs, charges, expenses, losses and damages . 
whatsoever, which they or any or either of them 
shall any way pay, expend, lay out, suffer, or be put 
unto by reason of their intermeddling herein, or with 
the execution of the trust in the said lease contained, 
or in relation, or by occasion of any matter or thmg 
in th'. said lease, contained or specified. And for- 
ward after such payment, re-imbursement, and satis- 
faction fully made, afe aforesaid, then as to the surplus 
of all such monies, as shall be so raised by such 
sale or sales, assignment or assignments, conveyance 
or conveyances, under lease, as aforesaid, they, the 
said Eldridge and Warner, their executors and ad- 
ministrators, and every of them shall be, and stand 
accountable, and make satisfaction thereof, to the 
said Fenwick, his executors and administrators, and 
to none other use, intent or purpose whatsoever. 

And that if the said Eldridge and Warner, their ex- 
ecutors and administrators, shall not, or without their 
wilful default may not, be fully satisfied of such mo- 
nies, costs, charges, expenses, losses and damages, as 



SALEM, IN WEST JERSEY. 59 

are in the said lease, agreed and appointed to be re- 
imbursed, paid and satisfied to the said Eldridge and 
Warner, their executors and administrators, within 
the space of two years next ensuing the date of the 
said lease, that the said Fenwick, his heirs, execu- 
tors and administrators, or some or one of them, 
shall and will well and truly pay and satisfy the 
same, or so much thereof as shall then be behind, 
and not satisfied and re-imbnrsed unto the said 
Eldridge and Warner, their executors and administra- 
tors, or to some one of them. 

And thereupon the said Eldridge and Warner, for 
themselves, their executors and administrators, upon 
such payments and satisfaction so made, as afore- 
said, shall, at the cost and charges of the said Fen- 
wick, his heirs and assigns, reconvey to him and 
them all and singular the premises aforesaid, by the 
said lease demised and granted, or such part, or so 
much thereof as shall then at the time of sv jh re- 
conveyance be remaining unsold by them, the said 
Eldridge and Warner, their executors or adminis- 
trators. 

Lastly, it is declared and agreed by all the said 
parties to the said lease, that nothing in the said lease 
contained, shall any way be taken, construed, ad- 
judged or expounded, to compel or enforce the said 
Eldridge and Warner, their executors or administra- 
tors, either inlaw or equity, to pay or satisfy all or any 
of the said debts in the schedule to the said lease an- 
nexed, mentioned, or any part thereof to the several 
persons therein named, or any of them ; but that it 
is and shall be at the free and voluntary choice and 



60 FIRST SETTLEMENT OF 

election of the said Eldridge and Warner, their execu- 
tors and administrators to pay and satisfy or not pay 
or satisfy the same or any or either of them, any 
thing in the said lease contained, to the contrary 
thereof in anywise notwithstanding. 

Upon this deed, the case appears plainly to be — 

I. That the estate, in law of the whole, was 
transferred to and vested in Eldridge and Warner. 

II. That whosoever should purchase any part of 
the lands from them, really and bona fide ^ should 
hold such purchase discharged of equity from Fen- 
wick. 

in. That this lease was a trust for Fcnwick, as to 
the lands which should not be really and bona fide 
sold for the satisfaction of such monies as are men- 
tioned in the lease ; and because that this is the 
most considerable matter in the case, I think fit to 
lay down some reasons (amongst many others) for it. 

1st. The lease is made, to the intent, that Eldridge 
and Warner shall be re-imbursed their monies, with 
interest and charges, and such monies as they should 
pay to Fenwick's creditors by sale or assignment, 
&c., of the lands (which must still be intended of 
real and not of fraudulent sales purposely contrived 
to cheat Fenwick). Nowif Eldridge and Warner be 
satisfied and reimbursed of all such monies by sale 
of part, what is become of the residue of the lands; — 
I take it very clear, that the residue is a trust for 
Fenwick, and so it will be construed by any court of 
equity; for what Fenwick did not dispose of to Eldridge 
and Warner, he kept to himself, I mean in point of 
equitable interest ; and in equity what remains after 



SALEM, IN WEST JERSEY. 61 

the satisfaction of Eldridge and Warner, belongs to 
Fen wick. 

2d. If it were not a trust for Fenwick after re-im- 
bursement and satisfaction to Eldridge and Warner, 
but an absolute sale both in law and equity, it may- 
be demanded, to what purpose the deed expressed 
th3 payment of principal and interest to Eldridge and 
Warner, for when a man makes an absolute pur- 
chase, there is no expectation of being re-imbursed 
his purchase money and interest, but only to have 
the profits, more or less ; but the deed here was only 
made that they should be paid money and interest, 
and not to have the lands absolutely, which for 
ought appears to the contrary, were ten times the 
value of all the monies that were to be re-imbursed 
to Eldridge and Warner. 

3d. If it had been an absolute sale to Eldridge and 
Warner, in equity as well as in law, what was the 
meaning of the clause that under purchasers should 
enjoy their purchases in equity against Fenwick, for 
there needed no such clause in an absolute sale ; but 
indeed the lease being but in the nature of a mortgage 
to Eldridge and Warner, that clause was necessary, 
otherwise Fenwick upon offer of payment of the mo- 
nies due upon the mortgage, would in a court of 
equity have evicted the purchasers' estates, as having 
notice of the mortgage when they purchased. 

4th. By the deed Eldridge and Warner were to be 
accountable to Fenwick for the surplus of the mo- 
nies made by sale to purchasers, after the payment 
and re-imbursement of the monies appointed to be 
paid by the deed ; now if Fenwick were to have an 
6 



62 FIRST SETTLEMENT OF 

account of the monies, though but part of the lands 
were sold which raised it a fortiori, he is to have the 
residue of the lands unsold ; and if it be said that 
Eldridge and Warner are to sell the land, and Fen- 
wick to have the money as the deed speaks ; yet 
where a man is intrusted to sell land for me, and to 
pay me all the money, (as the case of Fenwick is by 
the deed, after the satisfaction of the monies ap- 
pointed) I may at any time before actual sale revoke 
the trust, and by a court of equity compel the trustee 
to convey the lands so trusted to myself; for that is 
equity; the trustee is no further concerned than as 
my servant, whose service therein I may counter- 
mand at my pleasure. 

5th. By the deed Fenwick covenants, that if all 
the monies be not paid within two years, he will 
pny the residue, (and as it is said, hath tendered the 
same accordingly,) and then Eldridge and Warner 
were to reconvey the lands unsold. Now, if this doth 
not make it a clear trust in the nature of a mortgage, 
the construction of it must needs be, that Fenwick 
must pay them their money, and yet they must keep 
the lands gratis ; the absurdity whereof is obvious, 
even to common sense. 

6th. No one of common understanding can possi- 
bly interpret this to be an absolute sale both in law 
and equity; for by the last clause in the deed, it is 
declared,that Eldridge and Warner shall not be bound 
to pay any of Fenwick's debts mentioned in the 
schedule, except they shall think fit voluntarily to 
pay the same. Now if the lease should be absolute 
sales, Eldridge andWarner should keep the lands, and 



SALEM, IN WEST JERSEY. 63 

yet Fenwick be bound to pay the debts himself, for 
Eld ridge and Warner are not bound to pay them, 
which is contrary to the tenor of the whole deed, and 
to the intent of the parties, (to my knowledge,) for 
when the deed was made, it was declared by all par- 
ties that Eldridge and Warner should only be re-im- 
bursed and paid, as the deed speaks. But because 
Eldridge and Warner might have an opportunity of 
selling parcels to purchasers in England, in the ab- 
sence of Fenwick, who was then going beyond seas, 
the deed was drawn in this manner, that the real 
purchasers, that dealt with Eldridge and Warner, 
might not scruple at the title, or their authority to 
sell ; this, then, was the intent of all parties by them 
declared ,* but whether they have changed their in- 
tents since, is to me unknown : but this I know, that 
if Eldridge and Warner be satisfied their money, in- 
terest and charges, if any be according to the deed, 
they have in equity no further to do with the estate, 
which then in equity doth belong to Fenwick and 
his heirs. 

EDW'D SAUNDERS. 
July 24th, 1677. 
James Garfield, a scrivener in Long-lane, near 

W^est-Smithfield. 
Sam'l Gee, clerk to Mr. Saunders of the Inner 

Temple. 
Anthony Lockey, clerk to Mr. Pigeon of Grays- 
Inn. 



64 FIRST SETTLEMEXT OF 

A SUMMONS OF THE DUTCH, 

By John Fenwick, the surviving absolute Lord or 
Chief Proprietor of the Province, &;c. 
Whereas, I have been from the time of my arrival 
until now, not only most shamefully and arbitrarily 
obstructed in the settling of my colony, but also my 
purchasers, planters and inhabitants therein, have 
been greatly discouraged and hindered in the im- 
provement and settling of their several and particular 
tracts and plantations, as well as myself in improv- 
ing the whole, to our great damage and loss; for the 
rectifying thereof, it is now acknowledged by all 
considerate and ^reasonable men, that by law there 
can be no other lord or chief proprietor thereof but 
myself, unless that those who have arbitrarily pre- 
tended a right thereto can first legally eject me out 
of the same, which they never yet attempted to do, 
having neither law, equity, nor good conscience, to 
warrant them therein ; for the principal debt they 
claim, they never did pay me, nor can ever prove 
that they })aid it to any assignee of mine; but there- 
by designed to cheat me both of my land and money, 
as appears further by their wilful refusing to engross 
the account, (mentioned in their own contrived deed 
of trust and mortgage,) that it might have been 
signed by me to them, and by them to me, (before 
the sealing of the said deed,) and the letter of attor- 
ney which they likewise gained from me as a colla- 
teral security. And further, (for their extended debt 
of £110.15.0,) by virtue thereof they were to re- 
ceive in debt owing to me, £451, and out of 
which they have received to their own use £119, 



SALEM, IN WEST JERSEY. 65 

and hath refused to come to an account, judghig that 
all my said estate is theirs, and I their slave forever, 
as they have made it evidently to appear by their 
rebelling against the king's high court of chancery, 
their many great and horrid lies, with all their arbi- 
trary and treasonable practices, which they and their 
abettors have published and put in execution from 
time to time against me, and all claiming under me ; 
by which manner his majesty's subjects have been 
driven into confusion, and from the obedience to the 
king's letters patents, his known and established 
laws, and the concessions, laws, and government 
thereupon established for the said province, by the 
late absolute lord proprietor, and contrary to his 
majesty's letter of obedience, which was published 
by Captain Johnsbury, their deputy governor, where- 
in the said government was owned, and his majesty's 
English subjects, as well as foreigners, were required 
to be obedient thereunto, as in and by the same 
being upon record doth at large appear ; all which 
their said acting has been and is contrary to the 
peace of our sovereign lord the king, his crown and 
dignity. These are therefore now after divers sum- 
monses, and I do think fit once more to will and re- 
quire Fopp-hout-out, Michael Barrowne, Lucas Pic- 
turs, John Erickson, and all other the Dutch, Finns, 
Swedes, and all other foreigners who are inhabitants 
within my manor of East Fenwick, in my said co- 
lony ; and in his majesty's name to charge and com- 
mand them, and every of them, to come and appear 
before me, at my house near New Salem, upon Mon- 
day, by nine of the clock in the forenoon, being the 
6* 



66 FIRST SETTLEMENT OF 

26tli day of this instant, Fourth month, to the end 
that they may enter their several claims, and make 
known their several titles to the lands they plant, so 
that they may be settled according to the said con- 
cessions, so far as law and equity will warrant the 
same, in order to the settling of my said colony with 
all convenient speed, according to the said govern- 
ment, whereby they and every of them may approve 
themselves to be his majesty's loving, faithful, and 
obedient subjects, in obedience to his majesty's com- 
missioners' proclamation, in the year 1664, as well 
as others his majesty's English subjects. And here- 
in they nor any of them are to fail, as they will 
answer their contempt by being proceeded against as 
enemies to the king, and his public peace of the said 
province and colony, and that with due severity ac- 
cording to law. 

Given under my hand and seal, at Fenwick's 
Grove, the eighth day of the Fourth month, 
called June, in the year 1682. By John 
Fenwick, Esq., Pro. 

COMMISSION, 

To Erick Yearnens, of Finnstown Hook. 
Whereas, thou hast subscribed allegiance to our 
sovereign lord the king, &c., and faithfulness to me, 
and given the same under thy hand, in obedience to 
the late absolute lord proprietor's concessions : I 
therefore judge thee fit, and think it convenient to 
confer upon thee the office of a reve, or bailiff, with- 
in my said colony, for one whole year from the day 
of the date hereof, unless I see cause to alter or null 



SALEM, IN WEST JERSEY. 67 

this my commission, order and warrant. And ac- 
cordingly these are to authorise and empower thee 
to execute the said office within that tract of land 
which shall be hereafter called the hundred and 
manor of West Fenwick, as it is situate, lying and 
being within my said colony, and is butted and 
bounded as foUoweth, (that is to say :) From the 
mouth of Fenwick river, and so running up along 
the same ; and from thence in a straight line, as near 
as may be, by the bounds of the 10,000 acres lately 
set out for Thomas Pile and his trustees, extending 
to Masucksey or Old-man's creek, which is now and 
hereafter to be called Berkeley river ; and so down 
the same as it runs into Delaware river, and so down 
the said Delaware river to the mouth of the said 
Fenwick's river, which was hereafter likewise called 
by the natives Game creek. And that thou dost 
well and truly execute and serve within thy said 
bailiwick, all such my summons, orders and war- 
rants, which shall he directed unto thee by myself, 
or by my steward of the said court, and to make due 
returns thereof accordingly from time to time ; and 
thou art severally likewise authorized and required 
to have and receive and take of the inhabitants with- 
in the said jurisdiction, all such fees as legally belong 
unto the said office for the legal serving of such sum- 
monses, orders and warrants, or otherwise, according 
to the customs of other manories within his majesty's 
realm of England. And I do hereby, in his majesty's 
name, will and require all and every person inhabit- 
ing within the said bailiwick, and by virtue of his 
majesty's power and authority which is vested in 



68 FIRST SETTLEMENT OF 

me, straitly to charge and command them, and every 
of them, to own this my commission and authority, 
and yield their ready obedience unto which thou le- 
gally require of them, and which also thou legally 
dost do in the execution of thy said office ; and for 
so doing, this shall be thine and their warrant. 

Given under my hand and seal, this eighth day 
of the Fourth month, commonly called June, 
at Fen wick's Grove, in the year 1682. 

These two papers appear, so far as I can discover, 
to be the last official acts of John Fenwick. 



IMPROVEMENTS AND TRADE IN 
THE COUNTRY. 

Tide-mills and wind-mills. — Many of the emi- 
grants brought out with them hand-mills, for the 
purpose of grinding their grain, but the settlers soon 
found it essential to their existence to turn their at- 
tention to the immediate erection of grist and saw- 
mills. Accordingly, there was a horse-mill erected 
for the grinding of grain, near where is now called 
Kent's corner, in the upper part of the town of Salem. 
Of water-mills, the first kind made use of were tide- 
mills ; they were located in this now called Salem 
county, in several places ; such as at Mill creek, in 
Elsinborough — Mill-hollow, near Salem — Mahoppo- 
ny creek, in Mannington, formerly Hill Smith's — 
Cooper's creek, in Beesley's Neck, on the south side 



SALEM, IN WEST JERSEY. 69 

of Allaways creek — and at Carney's Point, in Upper 
Penn's Neck. There were also three wind-mills — 
one near the old wharf in Salem, in Bradway street ; 
another at Kinseyville, in Penn's Neck ; and the 
third on the farm of Samuel L. James, Esq. The 
first saw-mill was erected by William Hampton, in 
the year 1682. 

Salem a port of entry. — Salem, about the year 
1682, by the increase of population, had by this time 
become a place of some foreign trade — so much so, 
that it was made a port of entry for vessels entering 
and clearing therefrom, by exacting from all vessels 
under 100 tons, one shilling for entering, and one 
shilling for clearing ; and all vessels of more than 
100 tons, double that amount. 

Market. — The same year, a weekly market was 
by law to be held on every Tuesday, near what we 
now call the old wharf, then called the tower land- 
ing, and which had been heretofore designated for 
the market place. The grain, provisions, and other 
articles brought into the town, must be carried there, 
and no sale take place before eleven o'clock; and 
should any person buy any goods or provisions be- 
fore that hour, any informer causing the offender to 
be convicted of the offence, would receive the half, 
and the other half go for the public use. 

Fairs. — Fairs were established by law, to be held 
in Salem on the 1st and 2d May, and the 20th and 
21st October, annually, at which all persons were at 
liberty to buy and sell all manner of lawful goods, 
wares and merchandise, and also were to be free 
from arrest for the two fair days, and for two days 



70 FIRST SETTLEMENT OF 

before and two days after the fair. But after some 
time this privilege came to be abused, so much so 
that a town meeting was held on the 15th April, 
1698 — "it being then taken into consideration, that 
since fairs have been held in this town, that foreign- 
ers do flock from other parts, not only of this county, 
but of the neighboring province, do sell liquor by 
retail during the time of such fairs, thereby encroach- 
ing upon the privilege of the inhabitants of this town, 
who only are authorized, and none else, to sell by 
retail as aforesaid ; 

" Be it therefore enacted, that no person or persons, 
from and after the date hereof, do presume to sell 
liquors by retail during the time of the fairs, so held 
or to be holden, either at the place of the fairs, or 
within the limits thereof, but the inhabitants of this 
town only. And that whosoever persons presuming, 
contrary to this act, to sell liquors as aforesaid, shall 
upon information be found guilty of the said breach, 
shall forfeit all liquors found in his custody at the 
said place of fair, or anywhere within the limits of 
this town or creek, to be seized by virtue of a war- 
rant from the burgess of this town; whereof one-half 
of the said goods is to be allowed to the informer, 
and the other half to the burgess. 

" Signed with consent of the meeting, nemine 
contradicente. 

" Wm. Hall, Burgess." 

Salem iNcoRroRATEo. — In 1695, the town of 
Salem became incorporated, and the office of burgess 
was created, by which that officer was clothed with 
authority to hear and determine causes under forty 



SALEM, IN WEST JERSEY. 71 

shillings — was empowered to grant tavern licenses, 
and revoke them as he might see fit — and to punish 
all persons who might be convicted before him of 
rudeness, profaneness, and vicious practices. The 
office of burgess was continued from 1693 to 1703. 
In the month of March, 1693, the officers first chosen 
under their act of incorporation, were John Worledge, 
burgess — Benjamin Acton, recorder — John Jeffery, 
bailiff — Richard Johnson, surveyor of the streets, 
bridges and banks. All freeholders were required 
to be punctual in their attendance at all their meet- 
ings. Absentees were fined from ten pence up to 
five shillings. 

There were five burgesses during the proprietary 
government of ten years, whose names Mere — John 
Worledge, Jonathan Beere, Wm. Hall, Richard John- 
son, and Thomas Killingsworth. 

act passed may 12, 1696. 
An act to qualify officers who are not 
FREE TO TAKE AN OATH. — Whcrcas, somc pcrsons, 
out of a principle of conscience, have not freedom to 
take oaths : Be it enacted by the Governor, with 
advice of his Council, and consent and agreement of 
the representatives in this present Assembly, met and 
assembled, and it is hereby enacted by the authority 
of the same. That their not having freedom to take 
oaths shall not disable or incapacitate them for want 
thereof to hold or enjoy any office of the government 
within this province, whether magisterial or minis- 
terial, to which he or they are duly elected, nor ex- 



72 FIRST SETTLEMKNT OF 

elude him or them from any right or privilege which 
any of his majesty's subjects are capable to enjoy, 
he or they signing the declaration of fidelity, and 
profession of the christian faith, following, to wit : 

By virtue and in obedience to the said act of As- 
sembly, we, whose names are subscribed, do sin- 
cerely promise and solemnly declare, thfit we will be 
true and faithful to William, King of England, and 
the government of this province of West Jersey. 
And we do solemnly profess and declare, that we do 
from our hearts abhor, detest and renounce, as im- 
pious and heretical, that damnable doctrine, that 
princes excommunicated or deprived by the Pope, or 
any authority of the see of Rome, may be deposed 
or murthered by their subjects, or any other whatso- 
ever ; and we do declare that no foreign prince, pre- 
late, state or potentate, hath or ought to have any 
power, jurisdiction, superiority, pre-eminence or au- 
thority, ecclesiastical or spiritual, within this realm. 

THE CHRISTIAN BELIEF. 

We profess faith in God the Father, and in Jesus 
Christ his eternal Son, the true God, and in the Holy 
Spirit, one God blessed forevermore. And we do 
acknowledge the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New 
Testaments, to be given by divine inspiration. 

Here follow the names of the officers of the town 
of Salem, who subscribed the above faith or creed. 



SALEM, IN WEST JERSEY. 



73 



J onathan Beere, 1697^ 

Richard Darking, 1698 

Obadiah Holmes, 1699 
Reyneer Van Hyst, 1700 
John Holmes, r 

William Rumsey, 1702 

John Bacon, 1703 

Thomas Woodruff, 1706 J 



Justices. 



William Hall, 
Jonathan Beere, 
Richard Johnson, 
Jept. Woodruff, 
Saml. Hedge, Jr., 



1697^ 

1698 I 

1699 I 

1700 ( 
1703 I 



Burgesses. 



Thos. Killingsvvorth, 1706 J 

Wm. Hall, Recorder. 

Saml. Hedge, Recorder, 1702. 

Hugh Middleton, Sheriff. 

Saml. Hedge, Clerk and Coroner. 

1697. — Fairs were established at Cohansey, and 
to be held there on the 24th and 25ih April, and 
16th and 17th October, with the same privileges as 
Salem. 

Names or townships. — Salem. — This place was 
called Salem, because, Fenwick said, t^e word signi- 
fied peace. The township of Allaways was named 
after the Indian chief, Allaways. Penn's Neck was 
at the first called West Fenwick, but afterwards 
changed in compliment to Governor Penn. East 
Fenwick was afterwards changed to Mannington, 
7 



74 FIRST SETTLEMENT OF , 

that word being anglicised from the Indian name, 
which was Maneto. Pile's Grove took the name from 
James Pile, a very large purchaser of land. Pitt's 
Grove some years after set off from Piles, and named 
in honor of Sir William Pitt, before he accepted the 
earldom of Chatham. Elsinborough ; the Indian 
name was Wootsessungsing. The Swedes occupied 
the land along the shore of our county, before the 
English came here. They had a fort near the mouth 
of Mill creek, on the land now the property of Ben- 
jamin Holmes. The Swedes called that place Elfs- 
borg. 

Rangers appointed. — As the demand for horses 
and other cattle increased with the rapid increase of 
the population, the farmers soon found that the rear- 
ing of the domestic animals would probably be to 
them more lucrative than almost any other business 
they could be engaged in ; they therefore procured a 
law to be passed, which was to empower a person 
with the title of Chief Ranger of the county, who 
was also authorized to appoint deputies, if he thought 
proper, whose duties were, to look through the woods 
and waste lands, and take up all horses and other 
cattle over two years of age, not having a brand or 
ear-mark ; for such were to be accounted strays, 
and forfeited to the lord proprietor of the province, 
unless the person claiming could establish his right 
of property therein before two justices of the peace. 
It was also the law, that no person whatsoever should 
mark any of his beasts, unless in the presence of 
some justice of the peace, constable, or chief ranger, 
under the penalty of £20. All these precautions 



SALEM, IN WEST JERSEY. 75 

were taken that the rightful owners in this kind of 
property might have it protected in safety ; for in 
those early days, vast numbers of horses and cattle 
were raised in the woods and marshes, and they 
were only brought into the enclosures for two or 
three months during the inclemency of winter. This 
ordinance of marking was designed to prevent dis- 
honest people of the county, horse coursers and dro- 
vers, from taking them away by stealth, and con- 
verting them to their own use. And no horse dealer 
or drover could pass his drove of beasts out of the 
province, without a certificate from the ranger, or 
his deputy, or some justice of the peace, under a 
penalty of the forfeiture of the whole of them. 

Merchants or store keepers. — From the in- 
crease of population, and the quantity of merchanta- 
ble commodities ready for the market, store-keepers 
or merchants established themselves at Salem, and 
Cohansey or Greenwich, and carried on considerable 
business in the way of trade. The articles for ex- 
portation from Cohansey and Salem were deer-skins, 
dressed and undressed — peltry of every kind, of 
which the woods, swamps and marshes afforded an 
abundance — besides cedar posts, shingles and bolts, 
staves, wheat, corn, some beef, pork and tallow. A 
partner of these trading firms was located in New 
York, to whom the cargoes were consigned, and on 
the return trips of their vessels brought out with them 
such goods as would be most saleable to the country 
people. The only market price for any of these 
agricultural productions, that I can find, was 3s. 9d, 
per bushel for wheat, and 25. 2d. for corn. 



76 FIRST SETTLEMENT OF 

The commerce from the port of Salem, I am in- 
clined to believe, was much greater to New York, 
Boston, and the West Indies, than from Cohansey. 
The persons to whom I stand remotely connected, 
traded a good deal to Boston. 

Bricks and buildings. — I have no doubt many 
persons may have heard a remark made of the 
durability of the bricks of which our old houses are 
composed ; their enduring good quality is owing 
principally to a law which was passed in 1683, re- 
gulating the size of bricks. The brick to be made 
must be 2| inches thick, 4^ inches broad, and 9^ 
inches long, to be well and merchantably burnt. 
They were to be viewed and appraised by two per- 
sons authorized by the court, and if they found the 
bricks faulty, they were to be broken, and the makers 
of them fined by the court. 

The greater part of the ancient brick houses which 
may be now seen in our county, or Cumberland, 
were built mostly before the year 1730 ; and the 
population of those times, retaining all their national 
habits of daily drinking malt liquors, erected upon 
most of their large farms, good and substantial brick 
houses, in which they malted and brewed their de- 
lightful beverage. But in process of time, when their 
apple-orchards came into bearing, cider was found to 
be exceedingly palatable, and it soon began to take 
the place of beer. What with that and the distilled 
spirits, I cannot find that there were any malt-houses 
used en any of the farms, in either of the counties, 
for the brewing of beer, after or about the year 1770. 
The last that I have any knowledge of was attempt- 



SALEM, IN WEST JERSEY. 77 

ed to be carried on in Bradway street, in the town of 
Salem, but the proprietors had to desist from the 
want of customers. Alcoholic liquors in a great de- 
gree superseded every other kind of drink. 

Visits and refresh3ients. — In those very early 
days, neighbors usually paid friendly visits to each 
other, with a portion of their family, more generally 
in the winter than at other seasons of the year. They 
commonly spent a few hours of the afternoon and a 
part of the evening together, in the most sociable 
manner; and while the men would be talking over 
their farming affairs, and discussing the market 
value of the articles they had for sale, their wives 
and daughters would not be sitting in silence, but 
chattering freely about their yards of homespun linen 
and linsey woolsey, while their nimble fingers gave 
rapid motion to their knitting needles ; for be it 
known, that in those early times it would have been 
considered a stigma in a woman to have been sitting 
idle, while all the rest were employed in knitting. 
That kind of innocent and rural amusement afforded 
the most perfect zest to their evening's gratification ; 
and instead of tea, coffee and chocolate, as the fashion 
is now-a-days for our usual refreshment, they were 
regaled with plenty of good dough-nuts, cheese, fine 
cider, or home-made beer. 

Privet and thorn. — The first settlers brought 
over with them the privet and hawthorn seeds, and 
planted several fences with them, but from the care- 
lessness of succeeding generations, they were per- 
mitted to be destroyed. Thev were planted within 
7* 



78 FIRST SETTLEMENT OF 

the bounds of Salem, and in the neighborhood, and 
in Beesley's Neck. 

Tide-banks. — The inhabitants dwelling on both 
sides of Allaways creek, in the year 1697, obtained 
a law authorizing them to make a dam and stop out 
the creek, a few roods above Hancock's bridge. It 
was completed, but by neglect it broke, and was 
never repaired afterwards. It was a strange notion 
that possessed the people in those days. Since then, 
millions of tons of wood and lumber have passed over 
the part where that dam was made ; and now, above 
and within three miles of that place, is building a 
ship of between six and seven hundred tons, which 
will be launched in a few months, besides a great 
number of vessels of different burdens, which have 
been built above that place. 

Soon after the settling of the town of Salem, the 
town-bank was erected, leading to Windham, now 
the property of John M. Sinnickson ; this bank for 
years was maintained by a tax upon the inhabitants, 
until after tHfe proprietary government ceased. 

Embankments were made in very early times in 
Lower Mannington, at Fenwick's Point, in Penn's 
Neck, now called Chestnut Neck, and in Elsinborough 
and Carney's Point. 



RELIGIOUS SOCIETIES. 

I now proceed to endeavor to give you an account 
of the origin, building up and constituting of the differ- 



SALEM, IN WEST JERSEY. 79 

ent religious societies, so far as I have been able to 
collect information. 

Protestant Episcopal church at Green- 
wich. — Two of the emigrants from Gravesend, in 
England, were brothers, to wit: Nicholas and Leon- 
ard Gibbon ; they purchased about 6,000 acres of 
land near to Cohansick, or, as it is now called, 
Greenwich, which they endeavored to settle by in- 
viting their countrymen to emigrate and locate them- 
selves there. Nicholas, the elder brother, built for 
himself in the village a good and substantial brick 
house, which, in those days, was considered elegant 
for that part of the country in which he resided, until 
about the year 1740, when he removed to the town 
of Salem. That house is now, or has been years 
past, in the possession of the Wood family. Leonard 
Gibbon, the other brother, built a good and conve- 
nient stone house for his residence, on his part of 
the land, about, perhaps, two miles from Greenwich. 
Nicholas Gibbon, Samuel Hedge and Captain James 
Gould carried on mercantile business together, as 
spoken of before, and Gould being located in New 
York, the exports of the productions of that part of 
the country were consigned to him. The Gibbons, 
probably being the most wealthy, and having a great- 
er quantity of land to dispose of than others of the ad- 
venturers, erected a neat, comfortable brick church, 
of the Episcopal order, in the village for the purpose 
of accommodating their own and neighbors' families. 
When it was finished, they had it consecrated in due 
form by Reverend Phineas Bond, a clergyman from 
New Castle, and John Pearsons, the settled minister 



80 FIRST SETTLEMENT OF 

of the Episcopal Church of Saint John's, in Salem. 
The consecration of the church took place in the 
year 1729 and was named Saint Stephen's. The 
Gibbons contracted with Mr. Pearson to officiate in 
their church for them as often as he could be spared 
from his Salem church ; but as the tide of emigra- 
tion set towards that part of Cohansey, so did the 
religious feelings of the community tend towards the 
Quakers, Baptist and Presbyterian sects, until as a 
distinct body of Christians, the Episcopalians in a few 
years dwindled away. 

Salem Protestant Episcopal church. — I can- 
not say at what precise time the Episcopal church 
at Salem was instituted, but I have reason to think 
that worship of that order was held there in a wood- 
en building, a considerable time before the brick 
building was erected, which was about the year 
1720. I am inclined to believe that Doctor Dyer, 
Doctor Alexander Gaudovitt, John Kidd and William 
Wetherby were members of the church previous to 
the erection of the brick building ; and after that, I 
am induced to think that the first wardens were Ben- 
jamin Veining and Joseph Coleman. There were 
other active members, such as George Frenchard, 
John Holbrook, John Rolph and others not now re- 
collected. 

About the year 1772, the edifice being much dila- 
pidated, and the wood work gone to decay, the con- 
gregation resolved upon having it put into a complete 
state of repair ; accordingly a committee was ap- 
pointed to solicit subscriptions to procure such a sum 
of money as might be considered sufficient to com- 



SALEM, IN WEST JERSEY. 81 

plete the work. That committee was composed of 
Edmund Wetherby, Robert Johnson, Thomas Sin- 
nickson and John Carey, Esquires, who contracted 
with John Maxwell, the carpenter, to complete the 
building. 

The names of ministers who, through the lapse of 
years, officiated in that church were, as now recol- 
lected, the Reverend Messrs. Coleman, Allen, Pear- 
son, Wixcell, Thompson, Parker, Grey,Higby, Cadle, 
Smith. 

Episcopal church of Penn's Neck. — I would 
here observe that all the Swedish churches, previous 
to the American Revolution, in former days, were of 
the Lutheran order, and this church so continued un- 
til after the revolution ; but I cannot speak certainly 
as to the time when the change took place. It ap- 
pears that the Rev. John Wade officiated at the church 
in 1789, — a vestry was then chosen, and he organized 
or modelled the church according to the present Pro- 
testant Episcopal order. 

The Swedish church had an officer higher in au- 
thority than the other clergy, from whom they re- 
ceived their orders of appointments. This head officer 
was called Preepositus, a Latin word signifying prefer- 
rinsf or sitting before. He is called Provost, therefore 
the clergy of their churches are said to be appointed 
pastor or rector, under the authority of the Provost. 

Andreas Sandal, being Provost, appointed Abra- 
ham Lidenius as the first pastor over this church 
in 1714j — after that Lidenius returned to Sweden, 
in 1724 — then Petrus Tranberg and Andreas Wind- 
rufwa in 1726 divided their services between this 



82 FIRST SETTLEMENT OF 

church and Racoon, as Swedesborough was thcK 
called, until 1728, when Windrufwa died. The con- 
gregation was then supplied by Tranberg alone, until 
the year 1748, when he died. 

John Sandin succeeded Petrus Tranberg in 1748, 
and died that year. Then Erick Unander succeeded 
and continued until 1756. He was succeeded by 
John Lidenius, who was the son of the first pastor. — 
Andreas Borell was sent from Sweden, and took the 
oversight of the American Swedish churches, in 
1759, as their Provost or Praepositus. John Wicksell 
officiated from 1763 to about the year 1773, or begin- 
ning of 1774, when he returned to Sweden. His 
successor was the Rev. Nicholas Collin, who offi- 
ciated there until about the close of the American 
war ; and was the last c^ the Swedish ministers. — 
Then succeeded Samuel Grey — then Higby. 

The old wooden building having gone to decay, a 
plain, comfortable brick one was erected in its place 
in 1808. In relation to the Swedish churches in 
America, and to this in particular, the Swedish 
mission was supported principally by the King of 
Sweden, and a glebe was purchased for each mis- 
sionary station. The glebe attached to this church, 
a farm in the township of Pile's Grove, had been sold 
some years ago for the sum of eight hundred pounds, 
but I believe the original sum is still kept entire by 
the congregation of Penn's Neck. The names here 
inserted were of the Swedes who dwelt in Penn's 
Neck, previous to the year 1680, and who I have no 
doubt belonged to this church. They were Erickson 
Yearneans, two brothers, Hendricks, Spackleson, 



SALEM, IN WEST JERSEY. 83 

Nielson, Giljeansan, Cornelius, Senexson, Oulson, 
Picters, Wolleyson, Barkleson, Jacquette, Jacobson 
and Pederson. 

Morris River. — The Swedes very early formed 
settlements on the Morris River, at Buckshutem, 
Dorchester and Leesburg. But the whole of that 
population have passed away. I cannot hear of a 
single individual of the Swedish descent, remaining 
there. They had a church in early time at Bucks- 
hutem, but there is scarce a vestige of it to be seen 
now. There yet remains on the brink of the river, 
and at Leesburg, in those grounds, many graves of 
the long gone inhabitants, evincing that a consider- 
able number of people once resided there. 

German Lutheran church. — The German 
Lutheran church, called Emanuel's, at Freasburg, 
in Upper Allaways creek, was constituted about the 
year 1748. The constituents were, I believe, all 
foreigners from Germany. They were, Freas, Trol- 
lenger, Meyer, Hahn, Born Wentzell, Mackassen, 
Heppel, Ridman,DilIshoever, Sowder, Kniest, Tobal, 
and several others, with their families. These people 
when they came into the county engaged themselves 
to work for Mr. VVistar, in the making of glass, 
which he carried on at his glass works, about two 
miles from Allaways town. 

The records of this church were kept in the Ger- 
man language, until 1832 when the Rev. Mr. Harpel 
took the oversight of the same — when in 1836 he 
was succeeded by Rev. Mr. Reynolds, and he, in 
Sept. 1836, was succeeded by Rev. Mr. Duv, and he 
in 1839, by Rev. Mr. Town. 



84 FIRST SETTLEMENT OF " 

Cape May Baptist church. — The Baptist church 
at Cape May took its origin from a vessel which put 
in there from England, in the year 1675. Two 
persons, to wit, George Taylor and Philip Hill, 
though not ministers, officiated as such in private 
families, until the Rev. Elias Keach ordained one 
Ashton to be a deacon. After him, the Rev. Na- 
thaniel Jenkins took the oversight, and a church was 
constituted by Rev. Timothy Brooks, of Cohansey, 
in 1712. The elders were Dickison Sheppard and 
Jeremiah Bacon. The names of the male constitu- 
ents were. Rev. Nathaniel Jenkins, Arthur Cressi, 
Seth Brooks, Abraham Smith, William Seagreaves, 
Jonathan Swain, John Stillwell, Henry Stiles, Ben- 
jamin Hand, Richard Bowns, Ebenezer Swain, Wil- 
liam Smith, John Taylor, Abraham Hand, Christo- 
pher Church, Charles Robinson, and their wives. 
In 1714, the settlement had well nigh been depopu- 
lated by a grievous sickness, which swept off a 
vast number of their people. Jenkins had by his 
wife, whose name was Esther Jones, nine children, 
viz : Hannah, Phebe, Nathaniel, (his successor,) 
Tabitha, David, Jonathan, Esther, Abinadab and 
Jonadab ; these married into the families of the 
Shaws, Serleys, Downeys, Harrises, Pooles, Lakes 
and Taylors. Nathaniel Jenkins succeeded his fa- 
ther in the ministry, and died in 1769, and was suc- 
ceeded by Rev. Samuel Heaton, and he by the Rev. 
John Sutton, and he by Rev. Peter Peterson Van- 
horn, and he by Rev. David Smith, and he by Rev. 
Artis Seagreave, who took the oversight of the church 
in 1785, and resigned in 1788, and occasionally 



SALEM, IN WEST JERSEY. 85 

preached at a meeting-house near Sculltown, in Up- 
per Penn's Neck. He was quite popular when at 
Cape May, until he began to preach up the extrava- 
gant vagaries of the Rellites, or Universalists. His 
successor was Rev. John StanclifF, who took the 
oversight of the church in 1789. 

Baptist church at Dividing Creeks. — This 
church was formed about the year 1749, from Co- 
hansey, by Jonadab Sheppard, Thomas Sheppard, 
William Dollas, with their families and some others. 
About the year 1760, Rev. Samuel Heaton and John 
Terry removed there from Cape May. His wife's 
name was Abbey Tuttle. They had ten children ; 
these married into the families of the Colsons, Reeves, 
Lores, Garrisons, Clarks, Cooks, Johnsons, Terrys, 
and Kelseys. From these have sprung a numerous 
people in the county. Heaton was succeeded by the 
Rev. David Sheppard in 1764, and he by Rev. Peter 
Peterson Vanhorn, and he by Rev. John Garrison. 

1 Shiloch Seventh-day Baptist church. — This 
church arose about the year 1737 ; the founders 
were John Svvinney, Doctor Elijah Bowen, John 
Jarman, Caleb Barrett, Hugh Dunn, Rev. Jonathan 
Davis, Caleb Ayres, and some others, with their fa- 
milies. About the year 1790, a schism took place 
among them, one part of the society holding the doc- 
trine as promulgated by Winchester, which was that 
of Universalism — the other party retaining the creed 
of their forefathers. I believe the stock of the 
Davises are Welsh. 

Baptist church at Cohansey. — So early as 
about the year 1683, some Baptists from Tipperary, 
8 



86 FIRST SETTLEMENT OF 

in Ireland, settled in the neighborhood of Cohansey. 
The most prominent persons were David Sheppard, 
Thomas Abbott, and William Button. In 1685, 
Obadiah Holmes and John Cornelius came from 
Long Island, and settled there. The Rev. Thomas 
Killingsworth officiated in that church in 1690. In 
1710, Rev. Timothy Brooks emigrated from Swan- 
sey, in Massachusetts, and united there. Obadiah 
Holmes used to preach for the people ; both he and 
Killingsworth were judges in the court of Salem. 
Killingsworth used to preach occasionally in the 
house of one Jeremiah Nickson, in Penn's Neck.* 
He was succeeded by Rev. Timothy Brooke, and he 
by Rev. William Butcher — then Rev. Nathaniel Jen- 
kins — then Rev. Robert Kelsey, who was from Ire- 
land — and he by Rev. Henry Smally, whose life of 
great usefulness, as a fervent and faithful minister of 
Jesus Christ, was protracted to this present year. 

Baptist church in Pitt's Grove. — This church 
was founded about the year 1743, by several families 
who emigrated from New England ; such were the 
Reeds, Elwells, Cheesmans, Paullins and Wallaces. 
The Rev. Mr. Kelsey took the oversight of the con- 
gregation ; after Mr. Kelsey left there, Mr. Sutton 
and other ministers afforded the occasional supplies. 

♦ In the 1st volume and 19th page of the court records in the 
clerk's office of the town of Salem, I find the following entry: — 
" Jeremiah Nickson and Thomas Killingsworth, by their appli- 
cation to this court, obtained orders that the house of Jeremiah 
Nickson, in Penn's Neck, in the county of Salem, should be 
the place of Thomas Killingsworth's ordinary preaching, or re- 
ligious worship." 



SALEM, IN WEST JERSEY. 87 

Rev. William Worth then took the charge, and the 
congregation increased considerably under his minis- 
tration, until he became deeply engaged in land 
speculations in the back country ; and the opinion 
becoming current throughout that part of the county 
that he had become tinctured with Universalism, the 
congregation dwindled away to almost nothing. The 
constituents were John Mayhew, Esq., Jacob Elwell, 
John Dickinson, Cornelius Austin, Samuel Brick, and 
their families. 

Baptist church in Salem. — At the first settling 
in and about the town of Salem, there were but few 
Baptist families. The most prominent were those of 
Judges Holmes and Killingsworth, at whose houses 
their meetings were held. Killingsworth lived on 
and then owned the property now in the possession 
of the Keasbey family ; and Holmes lived at Alla- 
ways creek, on the farm some years ago belonging 
to the late Stephen Willis, but now the property of 
George Hall. After the death of Holmes and Kil- 
Jings worth, meetings were held by ministers from 
Cohansey, at the house of Samuel Fogg, near Quin- 
ton's bridge — at Daniel Smith's, Edward Quinton's, 
and Abner Sims'. In 1743, the Baptist meeting- 
house was built at Mill-hollow, and in 1757 the 
church was constituted, and the following named 
persons were the constituents, to wit : Job Sheppard, 
the honorable Edward Keasbey, Esq., Edward Quin- 
ton, Samuel Sims, Daniel Smith, Temperance Quin- 
ton, Sarah Sims, Catharine Sheppard, Kerenhappuch 
Blackwood, Sarah Smith, Prudence Keasbey, Phebe 
Smith, Rachel Sneathen, and Patience James. The 



88 FIRST SETTLKMKXT OF 

Rev. Job Sheppard then became their pastor, but 
lived only two years ; he left eleven children, — their 
names were, Elnathan, Belbc, Elizabeth, Rebecca, 
Job, Daniel, Katharine, Martha, Kcsiah, Ruth, and 
Cumberland. Some of these married into the fami- 
lies of the Ped ricks, Townsends, Grays, Bo v- ens, 
Mulfords, Kclsey.^, Matlocks, and have helped mate- 
rially to populate the township of Allaways creek. 
Rev. Mr. Sheppard was succeeded by Rev. John 
Sutton, and he by Rev. Abel Griffith — he by VVil- 
liam Worth, and he by Rev. Peter Peterson Van- 
horn. 

The congregation having greatly increased, it was 
thought necessary to build a new house ; according- 
ly, subscrijjtions were put into circulation, and that 
large dnd commodious brick building was erected on 
York stre<'t, in the town of Salem, in 1787 — when 
the Rev. Dr. Isaac Skillman, a graduate of Princeton 
college, became their pastor in 1791, and so con- 
tinued until his death in ^'; ' '. The pulpit was sup- 
plied for some time by the Rev. Obadiah Brewen 
Brown, now of ^v^ashington city — then by Rev. 
Thomas Brown — then by Rev. Horatio G. Jones- 
then by Rev. Joseph Sheppard. 

Judge Holmes, spoken of above, died in 1701, 
leaving four sons, of whom the youngest settled 
here ; his name was Benjamin ; his first wife was a 
Smart, his second wife an Elgar, by whom he had 
six children ; and from them descended several chil- 
dren, and from them the name has been perpetuated 
to the present time. 



salem, in west jersey. 89 

Presbyterian church at Fairfield, Cumber- 
land. — This church was constituted by emigrants 
from Fairfield, in Connecticut, in the year 1697, who 
purchased that tract of land lying on the south side 
of Ca3saria river, or Cohansey, and the Delaware 
bay. It has been generally supposed that their mi- 
nister made one of their number, whose name was 
Rev. M. Bradnor; next to him was Rev. Mr. Exile. 
About the year 1705, the Rev. Howel Powel, from 
Wales, became the pastor — then, in 1719, Rev. Mr. 
Hooker — then, in 1727, the Rev. Daniel Elmer, from 
Connecticut, became the settled minister until 1755 — 
then, in 1756, the Rev. William Ramsey became the 
pastor, until 1771, when he died. In 1773, the Rev. 
William HoUingshead became the pastor, and so con- 
tinued until 1783, when he removed to Charleston, 
South Carolina. In 1789, the Rev. Ethan Osborn, 
from Connecticut, took the charge of the congrega- 
tion, and has continued the pastor to this time, being 
almost fifty years. 

Presbyterian church at Greenwich. — The 
Presbyterians received a deed of gift for a lot of 
land from Jeremiah Bacon, to Henry Joice and Tho- 
mas Maskell, in trust for the Presbyterian church 
and congregation, as early as the month of April, 
1717 ■; but in consequence of the parsonage house 
being burnt in 1739, all the books and papers be- 
longing to the pastor and congregation were destroy- 
ed. As emigrants flocked into Cohansey from New 
England, Long Island, Wales and Ireland, it is very 
probable that a Presbyterian society was formed 
about the year 1700, or earlier. It has been gene- 
8* 



90 FIRST SETTLEMENT OF 

ally believed that a Mr. Black was the first pastor — 
then the Rev. Ebenezer Gould was installed as pas- 
tor, in 1728. The members and contributors to the 
old brick building which was taken down in 1835, 
after standing one hundred years, were — Ebeneief 
Gould, the pastor ; Josiah Fithian, William Watson, 
Elias Cotting, Samuel Clark, Benjamin Dare, Tho- 
mas Ewing, Abie! Carll, Thomas Buryman, Abra- 
ham Reeves, Jonathan Sayre, Nathaniel Bishop, 
Samuel Miller, John Miller, Jonathan Holmes, Tho- 
mas Waiihman, Matthias Fithian, Constant Maskell, 
John Woolsey, Ananias Sayre, Aaron Mulford, 
Charles Fordham, William Perry, Belbe Sheppard, 
Francis Brewster, James Caruthers, Thomas Read, 
Benjamin W^ooten, John W^oodruff, Noah Miller, 
Joseph Moone, John Pagget, Harber Peck, Nehemiah 
Veal, Nathaniel Harris, Francis Jul is, John Shaw, 
Philip Vickers, John Keith, Uriah Bacon, Robert 
James, Stephen Jessup, Moses Platts, Samuel Mor- 
felt, John Fairlaw, Joseph Simkins, James M'Knight, 
Charles Campbell, John Alexander, Ebenezer Ash 
Smith, Nathan Lupton, James Crawford, James Ro- 
binson, Nathaniel Moore, John Tyler, John Plumer, 
William Tullis, Elias Davis, Deborah Keith, Mercy 
Maskell, Samuel Bacon, Josiah Parvin, Thomas 
Pagget. 

The Rev. Ebenezer Gould continued the pastor of 
that church from the year 1726 to 1740, when he 
removed to Long Island. This church was favored 
by the supplies of the Rev. Samuel Finley, the cele- 
brated preachers George Whitefield, Tennant and 
others, during all which times there was a remark- 



SALEM, IN WEST JERSEY. 91 

able revival of religion among that people. White- 
field, in a letter to his friend, dated Salem, 20th 
November, 1740, says, — " Yesterday, at Cohansey, 
the Spirit of the Lord moved over the whole congre- 
gation ; what reason have we to be thankful for the 
great things that we both see and hear !" 

In 1746, the Rev. Andrew Hunter was ordained 
pastor over the united churches of Greenwich and 
Deei'field. He continued to serve both those churches 
until 1760, when he confined his labors to the Green- 
wich church until his death, which was in July, 
1775. And here I must be permitted to mention, 
that he was an ardent friend to the liberties of Ame- 
rica, and, like his friend and coadjutor in that noble 
cause, the Rev. Samuel Eaken, took an active part 
both in and out of the pulpit, and upon all suitable 
occasions, to arouse the spirit of the people against 
the oppressive measures of the British government. 

After the decease of Mr. Hunter, the church relied 
upon supplies until April, 1782, when the Rev. 
George Faitoute was installed pastor. He continued 
to officiate there until 1790, when he removed to 
Jamaica, Long Island, where he became the pastor 
of that church, and so continued until he died in a 
good old age. 

In 1792, a Presbyterian church was organised in 
Bridgeton, and a union being agreed upon by the 
two churches, the Rev. Mr. Clarkson took the over- 
sight of them in 1794, and so continued their pastor 
until 1801, when he relinquished his charge, and 
settled in Savannah, in Georgia. In 1805, the Rev. 
Jonathan Freeman became their pastor, and con- 



92 FIRST SETTLEMENT OF 

tinned until his death, which was in November, 
1822. The present incumbent, Rev. Samuel Lavv- 
rance, succeeded Mr. Freeman. 

Deerfield Presbvterian church. — About the 
year 1732 a number of Presbyterian families, from 
different places, settled in Deerfield — they were early 
induced to organize themselves into a religious so- 
ciety; they therefore united in building up a good 
and convenient log building, about the year 1737, in 
which worship was held, and supplies afforded them 
from time to time, and in the absence of a minister 
the people regularly attended for worship on the 
Sabbath day, and conducted the same according to 
the established order of the church. About the year 
1740, the Rev. Samuel Blnir, then the Rev. Gilbert 
Tennant, then, after him. Rev. Samuel Finley, and 
a few others not recollected, dispensed the word of 
life to this people, and their ministrations were abun- 
dantly blessed, and there was a glorious ingathering 
of many precious souls, through their instrumentality 
of preaching. The Rev. Andrew Hunter, having 
labored here as a supply, accepted a call from the 
united congregations of Greenwich and Deerfield, 
and he was now constituted their first pastor, 4th 
September, 1746. In the year 1760, the pastoral 
connection with Mr. Hunter, was dissolved, and was 
destitute for four years, being dependent for supplies 
from Presbytery, until the Rev. Simon Williams 
came, in 1764, and resided with them for about the 
space of two years, when on the 9th June, 1767, the 
Rev. Enoch Green was installed pastor of the Deer- 
field congregation, and so continued until Nov. 2d, 



SALEM, IN WEST JERSEY. 93 

1776, when he died. In the following year, 1777, 
the Rev. John Brainard (brother of David, the cele- 
brated missionary,) assumed the pastoral charge and 
died on 18th March, 1781, greatly lamented by his 
congregation. Rev. Joseph Montgomery and others 
officiated as supplies until June 25th, 1783, when 
Rev. Simon Hyde was ordained the pastor, and by a 
sudden illness died 10th Aug. 1783. The congre- 
gation were now dependent upon supplies until June, 
1786, when William Pickles (an Englishman) was 
installed their pastor. He was very eloquent, and 
for some time exceedingly popular, but his con- 
duct becoming loose, and unbecoming the character 
of a minister, he was deposed by the Presbytery of 
Philadelphia. The church was again assisted by 
supplies for almost eight years, when, on the 12th 
August, 1795, the Rev. John Davenport was in- 
stalled pastor, but, through age and other infirmities, 
he was dismissed in October, 1805. Again the 
church became dependent on supplies for about three 
years, when the Rev. Nathaniel Reeve was installed 
pastor, October, 1808, where he continued until he 
was dismissed, at his own request, by the Presbytery 
of Philadelphia, April 17, 1817. Afterwards the 
Rev. Francis G. Ballentine was installed the pastor, 
June 22, 1819, and so continued until at a meeting 
of Presbytery, held at Salem, June 8th, 1824, at his 
request, his pastoral relation with that congregation 
was dissolved. Then the Rev. Alexander McFar- 
lane was ordained and installed, April 27, 1826, 
where he continued to discharge his duties as their 
pastor until he was dismissed from his charge, in 



94 FIRST SETTLEMENT OF 

1830, and to accept of a proiessorship in Dickenson 
college, Carlisle. The Rev. John Burt then took the 
oversight of the church for some months, when Rev. 
D. McCuenne was installed the pastor of this church, 
and on 19th October, 183G, was dismissed from his 
pastoral relation at his request. On the l^lh Oct., 
1638, the present incumbent, the Rev. Benjamin 
Tyler, was ordained and installed the pastor thereof. 

Names of ruling elders since 1779, to wit : — 
William Tullis, Recompence Jeake, William Smith, 
John Stratton, William Garrison, Abner Smith, Jo- 
seph Moore, Ebenezer Loomis, Joseph Brewster, 
Nathaniel Diaments, Ebenezer Harris, Ephraim 
Loomis. 

A Presbyterian meeting house was erected about 
the year 1770, near to the line of Salem and Cum- 
berland counties, and distant two miles from Freas- 
burg. The congregation being small, were not able 
to employ a stated j)astor. They were occasionally 
sup|)lied from Philadelphia and elsewhere. The only 
minister, now recollected, who officiated there was 
the Rev. Mr. Winepize, a German, who resided in 
the city. The names of persons with their families 
who attended there, were, as remembered, Sowders, 
Wintzell, Pearsons, Foster. That building has long 
since gone to ruin. 

Pkesbyterian cnuBcn, in Cape May. — It is to 
be regretted that the records relating to the Presby- 
terian church in the county of Cape May were lost, 
and we have to begin their date from the year 1754, 
when the Reverend Daniel Lawrance officiated there, 
and lived on the parsonage which had been pur- 



SALEM, IN WEST JERSEY. 95 

chased of the Rev. John Bradnor, in 1721, who was 
a member of the Presbytery of Philadelphia, and 
resided there, preached for the people in that part of 
the county. The Reverend Samuel Finley (who 
some years after became the president of Princeton 
college,) resided there, and officiated for the Cape 
May people. He, no doubt, was made instrumental 
in producing that extraordinary revival which was 
had among the Presbyterian and Baptist churches, 
from the year 1740 to about 1743. 

The parsonage was purchased by the following 
named constituents: — Humphrey Hughes, George 
Hand, John Parsons, Col. James Spicer, Shamgar 
Hand, Joshua Gulicksen, Samuel Johnston, Constant 
Hughes, Cornelius Schellenger, Jehu Hand, Na- 
thaniel Hand, Barnebas Crowell,Jehu Richardson, 
George Crawford, Benjamin Stiles, Jeremiah Hand, 
Samuel Eldridge, Recompence Jonathan Furman, 
Ezekiel Eldridge, Eleazer Newton, Joseph Wilden, 
Nathaniel Norton, Nathaniel Rex, Yelverson Cro- 
well, Josiah Crowell, William Mulford, William 
Matthews, Samuel Bancroft, Eleazei Nocault, Joshua 
Crofferd, Samuel Foster and John Matthews. The 
present supporters of the Presbyterian church are 
principally the descendants of the above named per- 
sons. It is traditionary, that some people came 
from Connecticut or Long Island to engage in the 
whaling business — that they occupied part of their 
time in agricultural affairs, and sometime afterwards 
some persons arrived from Derbyshire, England, and 
took up their residence there. 

The Rev. James Watt succeeded Mr. Lawrance. 



96 FIRST SETTLEMENT OF 

Abijah Davis was succeeeded by David Rdwards, 
who had removed from Salem county, and became 
the pastor in 1804 — continued until his death in 
1813. Mr. Ogden succeeded Edwards, and resigned 
his charge in 1825, and was succeeded by Rev. Al- 
vin H. Parker, who was succeeded by the present en- 
cumbent, Rev. Moses Williamson. 

Pitt's Grove Presbyterian church. — This 
church was organised 30th April, 1741 ; their pastor 
was the Rev. David Evans, a native of Wales. The 
covenant was signed by the following members, and 
are believed to be heads of families, viz : Isaac Van- 
meter, Henry Vanmeter, Cornelius Newkirk, Abra- 
ham Newkirk, Barnet Dubois, Lewis Dubois, Garrett 
Dubois, John Miller, Francis Tully, Jeremiah Garri- 
son, Eleazer Smith, William Alderman, John Rose, 
Simon Sparks, Thomas Sparks, Richard Sparks, 
John Craig, William Miller, Nathan Tarbel, Hugh 
Moore, Peter Haws, James. Dunlap, Jacob Dubois, 
Jr., Joshua Garrison, Joast Miller. 

Successors to the Rev. David Evans, Rev. Nehe- j 
miah Garrison — then Rev. William Schenck — then : 
Rev. Mr. Glassbrook — then Rev. Isaac Foster — then 
Rev. Mr. Laycock — then Rev. Mr. Carll — then Rev. 
Mr. Clark — then Rev. George W. Janvier. 

LoGTOwN Presbyterian church. — This church 
was founded about 1750. The families were Moore, 
Sayre, Woodruff, Grier, Padget, Wood, and others 
not recollected. It was occasionally supplied by the 
Rev. Mr. Faitoute, Hunter, Smith, Eaken, and 
Schenck. In 1797, the Rev. Nathaniel Harris be- 
came the pastor, where he preached until 1800, when 



SALKM, IN WEST JERSEY. 97 

he surrendered up the charge, and removed to Tren- 
ton. In 1801, the Rev. David Edwards, from Wales, 
took the oversight of the church, and continued the 
pastor until the year 1805, when he surrendered up 
his charge, and removed to Cape May. Since then, 
the house has been taken down. 

Penn's Neck Presbyterian church — This 
church was founded about the year 1748 ; we have 
no date whereby we can decide when there was a 
minister appointed, or other officers, until the year 
1778, when the Rev. Samuel Eaken took the over- 
sight thereof. The families composing the congre- 
gation were the Nevils, Philpots, Dunns, Wrights, 
Lippincotts, Stanleys, Burdens, Healys, Lambsons, 
Congletons, and others. 

Eaken continued their pastor until the close of the 
American revolution. They were then destitute of 
a pastor, but were occasionally supplied with minis- 
ters from a distance, until the Rev. Nathaniel Harris 
took the oversight, which was in 1797, and so con- 
tinued until 1800, when he removed to Trenton, 
The Rev. David Edwards succeeded him, and was 
the pastor until 1805, when he removed to Cape 
May. Since then, the meeting-house has gone to 
decay. 

I have mentioned the name of Rev. Samuel Eaken. 
This divine appeared to be raised up specially by 
Providence to aid the Jerseymen in their exertions to 
overthrow the enemies of our country. I have often 
listened with great attention in hearing our most re- 
spectable and intelligent people conversing in respect 
to that extraordinary man. They considered him 
9 



98 FIRST SETTLEMENT OF 

scarcely inferior to the celebrated Wliitefield. He 
was a true whig, and an ardent defender of the Ame- 
rican cause. Wherever there v/ere military train- 
ings, or an order issued for a detachment of soldiers 
to march, he was sure, if in his power, to be there 
and address them, and by his most powerful elo- 
qucnce would work up their feelings to the highest 
pitch. Such was the inspiring effect of his eloquence, 
operating upon the passions of the military in so 
wond<M'ful a manner, that they were ever ready to 
lay down their lives for their country. 

The soldiers not only loved him, but they almost 
idolized him. 

Such a man was the Rev. Samuel Iv'ikon. 

Quakers or Friends at Salem. — Shortly arter 
Fenwick, and those who were of that denomination 
called Friends or Quakers, had arrived from Eng- 
land, (which was on or about the 12th December, 
1675,) and had settled themselves and their families, 
they resolved to associate together, and organise a 
meeting to be held in the town of Salem, twice in 
every week, for divine worship, and also once in 
each month for church discipline. Among those 
associators were John Fenwk-k, Robert Zane, Saml. 
Nicholson, Edward Wado, Samuel Hedge, John 
Thompson, John Smith, and Richard Guy. During 
the first five years of their residence, they held their 
religious meetings in private liouses. In 1680, they 
purchased a house of Samuel Nicholson, and had it 
fitted up for their better accommodation. In 1700, 
they erected a brick house on the lot now their bury- 
ing ground, at a cost of £415 135. 2id. 



SALEM, IN WEST JERSEY. 99 

In 1772, the Friends found themselves under the 
necessity of providing more amply for their ac- 
commodation, and purchased a lot of land fronting 
on Fcnwick street, and opposite to South street, on 
which they erected the present commodious and ex- 
tensive brick building. The architect was William 
Ellis. 

Quaker society in L. A. Creek. — In 1685, the 
Friends in Lower AUaways Creek township built 
themselves a house, and instituted a meeting there. 
The leading characters in this association were, 
Richard Hancock, John Denn, Jeremiah Powell, 
Nathaniel Chamneys, and others. 

Pile's Grove meeting. — In 1726, a meeting ap- 
pears to have been established at Woodstown, by 
David Davis, and other Quakers. 

Upper Penn's Neck. — In 1805. About this 
time an establishment seems to have been made by 
Samuel Pedrick and John Summers, at Pedrick-town, 
in the township of Upper Penn's Neck. 

Methodist Episcopal church in Salem. — This 
church was consecrated in 1784. The constituents 
were, Henry Firth, Cornelius Mulford, Hugh Smith, 
John M'Claskey, Benjamin Abbot, Isaac Vaneman, 
John Murphey, and Levi Garrison. 

A few years after this, a meeting-house was erected 
in Lower Penn's Neck — another at Perkintown — 
another near Sharptown — and another near Whig 
Line, in Pitt's Grove. Some years since, several 
others in different parts of the county have been 
erected. 



100 FIRST SETTLEMENT OF 

LEGISLATIVE ENACTMENTJS. 

In the early settlement of the state it was found to 
be absolutely essential to the well being of society, 
that laws ought to be enacted which should have for 
their object the restraining of the vicious, and pun- 
ishing them for the many outrages and indecencies 
which were too often perpetrated, and which, if not 
repressed, would tend to brutalize a great portion of 
the population. 

Accordingly an act was passed, in the second year 
of Queen Anne, for suppressing immorality. 

The offences for Sabbath-breaking and drunk- 
enness were punished with fine, and commitment to 
the stocks for the space of four hours ; and for those 
illicit connections which were then too frequently had 
between single persons of both sexes, on conviction, 
the parties were fined £5, and if unable to pay the 
penalty, both man and woman were sentenced to re- 
ceive from ten to 30 lashes on the bare back at the 
public whipping post; — and for the greater offence of 
adulterous connection, the parties, both man and 
woman, on conviction, were fined £30 a piece, 
and besides were to receive 30 lashes on the bare 
back at the public whipping post, at three several 
courts. 

From what I can discover, I think in those early 
days, the laws were faithfully, and probably impar- 
tially, executed, although to us at this time, some of 
them appear abhorrently severe. 

I have made a few selections out of many cases 
on the records of our courts, which I thought might 



SALEM, IN WEST JERSEY. lOl 

afford amusement and instruction to the present 
generation, to learn what was done in those early 
times by those who had the administration of public 
affairs. 

I cannot find that there were more than four cases 
of capital punishments for the awful crime of mur- 
der, or others supposed equally bad, ever committed 
in these lower counties. We have great cause to be 
thankful that among the minor offences, (which were 
numerous in early days,) committed against the peace 
and order of society, for the one hundred and sixty 
years that have passed, Jehovah, in his infinite wis- 
dom, had so signally restrained the wrathful and vin- 
dictive passions of the profligate, that it was only 
necessary to execute the vengeance of the laws upon 
these few solitary cases. 

Of the civil jurisdiction of Salem county, to the 
the setting off the county of Cumberland, which was 
so named by Governor Belcher, out of respect to the 
Duke of Cumberland, which decision was by act of 
assembly in 1747. 

The first court of sessions began at Salem on 17th 
day of September, 1706. 

Thomas Killingsworth, Obadiah Holmes, Judges. 

Joseph Say res, Samuel Hedge, James Alexander, 
Walter Hewstis, Samuel Alexander, Justices. 

Wm. Griffin, Sheriff. 

Michael Hackett, Under Sheriff. 

Isaac Sharp, Deputy Clerk. 

Nathan Brading, Clerk. 

At this court the grand jury find two indictments 
against one of the justices, Walter Hewstis. Con- 
9* 



102 FIRST SETTLEMENT OF 

Stables that did not atlond, fined 13.v. Ad. each. Court 
appoint all the constables for the dillercnt precincts, 
one for the south, and one for the north side of Co- 
hansey. 

(.'ourt o|x?ned by proclamation, 2d Tuesday, April, 
1707. 

Court adjou'^ned by reason of magistrates not at- 
tending. 

Those of the grand jury who were summoned and 
did not appear were fined lOs. Grand Jury present, 
that all the inhabitants bring in a list of their cattle 
marks, that they be recorded by the clerk of the 
county. 

Description of a four rood road laid out in 1705 
from Salem town to Morris' River. lie^inning at 
the end of the straight street coming u{» Salem town, 
where was formerly Edward Cluunpney's liorse mill, 
running to tlie end of the street betwwn Robert Cof- 
fins, and William Rumsey's lot, and along the farm 
of Isaac Pierson to Tobias Quinton's bridge, over 
the bridge at Allaway's creek, in as straight course 
as circumstances of the land will admit, to the old 
bridge at the head of Cedar swamp; then to Gravely 
run, so along the old road to Long bridge, keeping 
the road to an oak tree marked G, then on west 
side of Pine-mount, branch to the old, going over 
place into the town-neck, between Timothy Bran- 
dreth's and Jonathan Wheaton's lots — then along 
the old road to Greenwich, landing at the wharf, and 
over the Cohansey creek against the wharf into the 
marsh, until it comes to the fast land, in the lane be- 
between James Pierce and Mark Reeve's land — then 



SALEM, I.\ WEST JERSEY. 103 

to Henry Buck's at Fairfield — then on north side of 
that place of water, through Mr. S. Maskeli's lot — 
then keeping the road by the meeting liouse by Jo- 
seph Tooley's to Grime's bridge; then keeping the old 
road until it comet h to the road going to Daniel Eng- 
land's saw-iiiill, to two oak trees marked M. M. 
Jonathan Walling, 
John Bacon, 
William Hall. 
Samuel Alexander admitted an attorney. Ordered 
by Court that Joseph Butler be whipped upon the 
bare back 21 lashes, for petty larceny. 

October, 1708. 
Present, William Hall, Hugh Middleton, Justices. 
William Bitlin was commissioned by Rev. In- 
goldeby, as attorney at law. 

Grand Jury find a bill of indictment against Robert 
Rumsey, for clipping of Spanish money — it was 
found a true bill, — acquitted. 

Alexander Griffith, admitted an attorney. 
Nicholas Johnson came into court and confessed 
that he was one of those that assisted in building a 
pound upon the societies' land, with Joseph James, 
James Hutson, William Hutson, William Pope, and 
John Miller, to catch there some jades ; and he also 
confest, that he had taken up one mare which he 
knew not whose it were, and marked her in his own 
mark, and that Joseph James had two mares which 
he marked, and John Miller has two mares, which 
part of one of them is his, which they took up, and 
William Pope has one mare, taken up at the same 
time. Court fined them each 50«. 



104 riKST SETTLEMENT OF 

Ordered that David Roach be whipt 15 stripes for 
stealing a bag. 

Court appoints all constables, overseers of road 
and poor. 

Court fineElisha Bassett, constable, 10s, for letting 
John Pierson, the servant of Richard Johnson, es- 
cape. Thomas Clark, admitted as an attorney at 
law. 

Sept. 1609. — Court orders, that no ordinary keeper 
in this county shall be allowed to trust any transient 
person, or laborer, or single person, above ten shil- 
lings, upon penalty of loosing their debts. Grand 
Jury present that an assessment be laid on the county, 
for repairing court house and prison, and finding 
constables' staves, paying for wolf and panther's 
heads, hawks, woodpeckers, blackbirds and crows; 
the value of £100 to be paid in money, wheat, but- 
ter, or cheese, at money price. 

Thomas Macknamera, admitted to practice law 
as attorney. 

Road four roods wide, to go from Salem to Co- 
hansey ; to go from John Hancock's bridge along 
the new maked road to John Mason's mill, thence to 
the old road near Gravelly run, and so to Cohansey. 
Seventh month, 1709. 

1710, December. Court ordered that a bench 
warrant be issued out to Richard Hancock, constable 
of the lower part of Allaways creek, that he com- 
mands men to watch at the house of Easther Sikes, 
to apprehend several robbers, which the said Sikes 
complains of. Two aforesaid men ordered to watch 
six days. 



SALEM, IN WEST JERSEY. 105 

March Sessions, 1710-11. The grand jury being 
all sworn and attested, the Secretary Bass, Esq. was 
desired to give the grand jury their charge, which he 
did. 

June Term, 1711. The grand jury presents the 
prison, for that it is deficient for the securing of the 
prisoners, and presents the court-house, that it may 
be repaired, and presents the want of a pair of stocks 
in the town of Salem. 

June, 1112, Gregory Empson, attorney. Grand 
jury present Edmond Morphey, for holding John 
Quinton under the water until almost drowned ; fined 
55. with costs. 

The grand jury being called, all answered to their 
names. Salem, 23 December, 1712. May it please 
your worships — Whereas, some years ago, the grand 
jury of this county of Salem made application that 
the records should be delivered to Mr. Bass, to be 
bound and put in order, and then returned to the 
county again ; but we understanding that the records 
is not bound nor returned to our county, we humbly 
make application to your worships that speedy care 
should be taken that the said records may be again 
brought to our county, and here to be bound, and 
kept for the good and benefit of the public. 

W31. Clowes, Foreman. 

December, 1713. Timothy Brooks, of Cohansey, 
Anna-Baptist preacher, came into court and took the 
oaths, and signed the declaration according to law, 
and did acknowledge and did allow of the thirty-nine 
articles excepted in an act for exempting her ma- 
jesty's protestant subjects, dissenting from the Church 



100 VIR-n- WiTTLEHEXT OT 

of Knjfan.l. ilties of ciWlainTaws nwiJe 

in • lay ••>4, 10*-l». 

> / .,.:.. 1 ..c grand jury present Kliza 

\Vimhor, with i r, c and arms upon llie body of 
Elizalx'tli Kuln^( y, wife of Isaac Hnmsey.of Salem, 
in ihe prarp of tioti and onr f.iid lady ihe queen, 
then and there beinj;, an zui^auh did nuk^, and her 
with a paddle over the hvm\ ()id >irikf>. and u\no 
over the net k, and her c< .< , to the 

great dama£P of the 9aid I . • . Xc. 

Court, March, 171ft. Ffcieni, Hiehard Johntoo 
mill John Ma-ou, Judges. 

Alexander (trant, Daniel Humsey, Juatires. 

I'he grand jury do present Lawrance Coi, of the 
town «if Salrm, hnl maker, that on or about Hih dr 
0th day of IVhniary la^i |-a!»i, coining to the houae 
of Charles Augrlo, arid in the prefrnre of th« aaid 
Charles and hi» wife, and John Dixor shat 

wa» the heal news up the rivrr ; and «; Liw- 

ranee declared there wa« utrange new», and aueh 
that he the said Lriwraiue had not heard the like 
before, and upon ilie said relation declared that the 
Quakers had giren to the governor one hundred 
pound* and forty pounds out of the new town meet- 
ing-house ; and that if the Quakers couM get As- 
sembly to their minds, they would qivc seven hun- 
dred % year for M'vrti years \p Uie governor ; and 
that if he lived ttil the election^bc would tell them 
as wt II of lU ^ 

Sigfud by the foreman, 28 of Tir-i month, 1716. 

'i'lloXAS MASKfcLL. 



SALKM, IN WEST JKR8EY. 10? 

Junr, niQ. Thomas Gordon, atlorney ; Henry 
Varu'man, altorney. 

Nov. 17, 1710. Mary Hawk, of Cohaniey, spin- 
ster, was pul)licly whipped in the lown of Salem, 
liy order of ihe jusiices. 

Jeremiah B.i«^s, Ksq., licensed from hia excellency 
to practise in the courts. 

At a fipecial court held at SaN-m. Hith April, 1717, 
for iryini: of ncfiro slaves, for the murder of James 
iSherron, Ksq. Present, Isaac Sharp, Jolin Mason. 
Alexander (irant, justices — Joseph Gregory, Daniel 
Kumsey. John Brick, Andrew Hopman, and John 
Jjoyd, freefjohlers. 

'J'he freeholders sworn to try the prisoners in con- 
junction with the justices, accordinjr to evulence. 
The justices and freeholders ordered Mr. William 
Grinin to prosecute the prisoners in behalf of our 
sovereign lord the kinsj. 

Ha^rcr, the neirro woman, brought to tlie bar, and 
her aeciieaiion beinij read, pleaded not guilty, yet 
aeknoivledired that she knew of the intended mur- 
der, and was present when her master was mur- 
dered. 

John Hunt, sworn. Tlie said Hunt declared the 
said murdered person hail been a living person, only 
for the said Hao;er, who met the said Hunt the even- 
ing the murder was done, between the said Hager's 
master's plantation, and the house of John Gentry. 
And that the said Hager urged the said Hunt to go 
and kill her master; that the negro boy named Hen 
! was wiih the said Hagcr when they met, and so 
went near the house of the murdered person ; and 



thai thp i»ai ' " •> (or the hatchet 

wherewiili ' • r. 

John flew*'ii, •worn. The said ll#*wett <lecl.«. \ 
that, one night, brinir upon the watch of the x i: 1 
net;roet and others, heard some dittcourse otTir' <1 
between the said llager and the said Haof, apd the 
sai<l Hunt said unto the said lla;;er, don't ^Du re> 
number thr 'i at you proposed to put in your 

m.i^ter*^ br- ^ ' 

The • . . , I 

his arri. I -• 

prisoner at the bar liie 

halcht'l to Hunt, the iJ!..- ii»r- 

der. at the request of the said Hunt, just I 
murder was committed; and that he heard >- wi i^- 
ter cryiniT out when munierini^, and that hv knew, 
when li' ' t the hatchet, the said Hunt tiiieniied 

to kill !. r. 

The !».i» . 
hohler:!, 1«» II ' 

demned to 

The said , .:«. in conjunction with the free- 
holders, found the said nrgro boy Ben guiliy, and 
was condemned to be hanged by the neck i:" ''•• ■ '. 
and then hung up in gibbets. 

The executions were at now callr ' ^' .ic, 

just out of Salem. 

At a Court at Oyer and Termi.ier, l^cd l>v ad- 
journment May '21 nnd '37, pre^rut Isaac Sharp,- 
Rirhrird Johnson, ju ri M;i««on, Alexander 

Grant, David Rumm \ ^ l Smith, justices. 

The grand jury came into court, and presented 



SALtM, IN WKST JERSEY. 100 

John Hunt and Mary Williams for the murdering of 
James Sherron. Proclamalion made for silence. 

John Hum heina brought lo the bar, and being 
arraitMieil, pleaded i^uilly. 

Mary Williams being brought lo the bar and ar* 
rai^ned, pleaded not guilty ; puta herself upon the 
country. The petty jury came into court, and 
brought in Mary Williams not guilty. The court 
ordered the jury out again. The prisoner brought 
to the bar. The petty jury came into court, and 
brought in Mary Williams guilty of knowing of the 
intended murd(T of Jiunes Sherron before it was 
cominiiled, and concealing of the same. 

John Hunt boin^ bron^jht to the bar, his indictment 
boing rend, he could show no cause why sentence of 
death should not be past upon him ; he had sentence 
past by the judge. .Mary Williams brought to the 
bar and received sentence ; for the knowing and con- 
cealing the intended death of Mr. Sherron, the court 
finos her the sum of one hundred [)ounds to his ma- 
jesty, and to remain in custody till paid. 

Dec Court, 1717. Ordered by fhe court, that 
the garret or upper part of the jail be for the use of 
a house of correction for the use of said county, and 
a whippiOfT post bo erected therein. 

.lohn Kinsey, licensed lo practise law, 1718. 

September Quarter Sessions, 1718. Upon appli- 
cation of Richard Johnson, that Thomas Hill had 
lodged in his hands, being a magistrate, a remnant 
of silk, quantity 5i yards, which the said Thomas 
secured with a certain person to him unknown, upon 
suspicion of the said person being a pirate, which 
10 



1I(» riarr «rrTLcacKT or 

nrriion aHcrwards made his escape from the snid 

( »r.l<rcd. That the piece of silk in the handH of 

H,, ' T ' . '- • ' -*'■. ' >.--..? v.^^^ 

R. 

by lujji tl.^j«'--j li i^: : 
' Marrh, \1T*. V 1 nttomev. 

17-J7. ^' 

Ity onl* r :''»r whipping 

at the publir wli five nhillin^H — in the 



nith > 

of pUIU'll. II 

gill nn<l a li 

with •iin^U' rv\ . - nn<i one sill an<; 

rum, rv.'*"'-!" • •' mIIi nmde of M 

Rugar :i of mm« n >• n ;. < — 

for each <|'i:iri "I tni, iii;iii- >% iih halfa pint oi rtim in 

the same, nin*"[x'nr»« — fur each pint of wiw. one 

shilling — for one h pill of i 

qunrt of strong Ut, ' 

brandy or • 

methoglen, i. . 

pcnre— each quart oi rider, iburprnrp. 

Ivitablr*?* for nwn — for a hot dinner, eightpence ; 
for brrnkfnst or supper, sixpence. 

For horses — 2 quarts oats, threepence ; siabliag 



SALF.M, IS WF.ST JFRSEY. Ill 

ond good hay, each night, sixjxincc; pasture, six- 
pence. 

1732. Indictment fob prrrv larceny. — 'Tis 
ordered by the court, that Kliza Crook receive twenty 
lashes well laid on her bare back, at the common 
whipping post, and liial she stands committed till she 
pays fees. The said Kliza Crook prays delay of the 
said whipping, because she sayih sIk? is quick with 
child. Ati-i now a jury of matrons were summoned, 
to wit : Susannah (Goodwin, Sarah Hunt, Ann (irant, 
Mary (Ircy, Kliza Ilarkeit, Sarah Test, Klizabeth 
Hall, Ph(eb<? Salerthwait, Ann Woodnutt, Kliza 
Huddy, Kliza Axlbrd, and Sarah Fithian, being duly 
qualified according to law, do say that Kliza Crook 
is quick with a living child. 

On motion '^r the attorney general, the said Kliza 
Crook is committed into the sherilPs custody, till she 
be delivered of the said child, and then to receive her 
punishment. 

.lohn Jonos, attorney. 

Ftbruartf, 11 'A:\-A. Ordered by the court, That 
the constables of Salem and KIsinborough shall at- 
tend iho first day of the fair, and that Robert Walker 
and William Nicholson shall attend the second, with 
their staves, in ordor to keep the peace and prevent 
disorders ; and that Charles Foredam and Joseph 
Seeley attend in like manner the first day of Cohan- 
sey fair ; and that James Robinson and Jacob Gar- 
rison attend the second day. 

Ordered by the court, That Mary Kelly, for abus- 
ing the judge, Mr. Arton, in her misbehavior to him 
in the execution of his oflice, do receive ten lashes on 



112 riRliT SETTLK1IF..NT Of 

her bare back, for her coutcmpt, at the public whip- 
pint; |M)st. 

Orcitred by the court. That the market*place in 
the town of Grctnwich shall U* the pinre where the 
fairs are to be* kept in CohanMy, for the future. 

( I MULKLAND COrKTT. 

The first fnurt of common pleaa was held at 
tifeenwich, May, 174*^. Attorneys* names appear- 
ing were, Daniel Meslayer, Kose, Robert Ilarts- 
home. Court sat in njcetinti-hnuse. Judges, John 
lirick, Richard Wood, John H«minirton. Sheritf, 
Annanias Say re. Clerk, Klia 

December Scssionsy 174H. ijourned, and 

ordered clerk to moke the writs returnable to Cohan* 
sey bridge. 

February Se»nions^ 1748. Court met at Cohan ^tv 
bridge. Daniel Mei*tayer appointed to prosecute ihe 
pleas of the crown, in the absence of the attorney 
general. 

17.')2. John Laurence appears as attorney. 

17 'J 4. James Kinscy and George Trenchard ad- 
mitted as attorneys. 

17r)7. Daniel IClmer appointed clerk, in the room 
of Klias Cotting, <l»'ceased. 

1761. Augustine Moore admitted an attorney. 

Maskell Ewing appointed clerk, in pin- •• -.i T»'»«-'>1 
Elmer, deceased. 

Cape May made a county in 1092. 
We have only designed to make a few extrarls 
from the minutes of the court, by way of amusing the 
curious. First town meeting held at the house of 



SALIM, IN WEST JERSKY. 113 

Benjamin Godfrey, on Cape May. The commis- 
sions for Jiislices and Sheriff were read. George 
Taylor was appointed ch'rk. Georire Taylor ac- 
cused John Jarvis for helpin<r ihe Indians lo 
rum. William Joluison deposelh and xaith, that 
he came into the house of ihe said Jarvis and found 
Indians drinkinu rum, and one of the said Indians 
l^ave of the said rum lo the said Johnson and he 
drank of it with him, the said Jarvis refusing lo 
clear himself was convicted. 

March 20, 10H3-4. Court holden at Portsmouth, 
John Worledjre, Jeremiah Basse, John Jarvis, Jo- 
seph Houldin, and Samuel Crowell, Justices. 

June, lOlM. A rule of court passed, tliat all per- 
sons thai take an oalh in court, shall signify the same 
by holding up their hands. 

A rule of court passed, that the Grand Jury shall 
have their dinner allowed them at the counjl^ 
charge. if 

The grand jurv make their return, — see cause to 
present George Tas lor for publishing a falsecopy 
of the acts of assembly on a court day in December, 
1693. The said 'J'aylor puts himself upon trial, 
the petty jury called and sworn, the indictment read, 
the witness called. 

John Shaw, duly sworn, sailh, that the laws that 
was read in the court, the last court, was not the 
same as was read by George Taylor at the court 
mentioned in the indictment. Tiiat they was not 
interlined, nor the same hand. Joseph Badcock 
duly sworn, saith, that when he was heard* at the 
court, that he thought that the laws that was read 
10*^ 



114 FIBiT snTLEMEXT OF 

were not ihe acts of the assembly. Jeremiah Basse, 
PresidfiU of ihe court asserteih ihcm lo be ihe same 
laws, and written by the j<ame fianil, the rest of the 
Justices say it i« hke the same hand — and they be- 
heve it to be the same hand. 

The jury eoeth forth — ihey brinjf in their verdict, 
we of the jury do find not fruilty. accordini^ to the 
indiriment — the said (ieorge Taylor is cleared by 
proclamation. 

Andrew Ifamitton. Esq., (Jovernor of the pro- 
yincc of Kasi and West Jersey, to all whom these 
presents may come, smd t^rvvuug. Know ye thai 
by virtue of the powers committed to me, I h ive 
nominated, commissionated, and appointed, and by 
these presents coininissionate and appoint (veorfre 
Taylor, of Cape .May, my lawful deputy and attor- 
ney to tike into his possession all wracks or drift 
whales or other royal fish that shall be drove on 
shore an v where upon tlie c»iast (»f Cape .May, Kg(?- 
harbor, or within the Delaware river, an far as Bur- 
hngton, or any wrack lloatinp near the roast, and to 
dispose of the same according to his disrression, and 
to account to me for the same, as also to make en- 
quiry into any wracks heretofore drove on shore, or 
whale, or whale bone, or other royal fish, and make 
demand of the same, and lake the same into his cus- 
tody for my use, paying the reasonable salvage for 
the same and in case of refusal to present for the 
same acquittances and disrhare^s thereof, A:c. In 
witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and 
seal at Burlington, October 3d, 17W6. 

ANDREW HAMILTON. 



SALDf, IN WEST JKRSEY. 11') 

September 20//*, 1099. John Shaw, plaintifl*, Ca- 
leb (.'arinan, defindaiit, both calbd, ihe courl admits 
George Noble to be attorney lor detliulant — plead 
not guilty of any defamation, (ieorge Noble being 
allesied saiih that Caleb Carman told him that his 
wife told the said Caleb that John Shaw's wife told 
her that Mrs. Shaw look the piece of eight out of 
her husband's »ihoe, and that was the reason made 
her 80 confident that Ezekiel Eldridge*8 piece of 
eight was not the piece of eight. Creasy j?aith that 
John Shaw's wife told her that she found the piece 
of eiiiht in her husband's shoe, and carried it to her 
husbar.d and bid him be quiet. Humphrey llugbes 
saith he heard John Shaw's wife say that the piece 
of eight her husband challenged, was not the piece 
of ei^ht he lost. 

The jury returns — brings in — we tltid no cause of 
action. 

Mctrch V)th, liVJd. Tlie court called, the justices 
dissatisfied in some points relating to their post and 
station — doth rejourn court until the first Tuesday 
in May next, till they are better informed by the 
Governor. 

September, 1723. Justices, Jacob Spicer, Hum- 
phrey Hughes, Joseph Wilder, Robert Townsend, 
Henry YounCt John Hand, William Smith; Mr. 
Richard Downs, Sheritf; John Taylor, Clerk. 

The grand jury called and sworn, they go forth, 
they send in a presentment against Peter Manerin. 
That a common barreater he hath, and common per- 
lurber of the peace, he pleada not guilty — a jury 



116 FIRST SETTLEMENT OF 

panelled and sworn, ihe presentment read, five evi- 
dences sworn, tlie jury sent out — they return, we 
dnd for the kin?. 

The judgment of this court, is. that the said Pe- 
ter is to pay towards the support of this government 
five pounds proclamation money, or to receive tifieen 
lashes on his bare back, well laid on. 

Mat/ 19/A, 1724. Mr. David Macbride's license 
to practice the law being read in court, (first appear- 
ance of a lawyer.) the said Macbride's deputation 
from the attorney general, with his excellency's ap- 
probation — ordered to prosecute the pleas of the 
crown. Mr. Edward Rodolphius Price's license to 
pnciice law, read, court held in Presbyterian meet- 
ing-house. Lower Precinct. 

1734. John Jones produced governor's license 
to practice law. Court adjourned to Baptist meet- 
ing-house. Aaron Learning admitted to act as attor- 
ney in almost any case, and appears to have un- 
bounded influence. Jacob Spicer, sits as justice. 

1735. Daniel Mestayer produced his license. 

1741. A county meeting was held respecting 
building a jail and court house. 

1742. Mr. Worrell is named as attorney. 
1744. Court first held in court house, middle 

township. 

William JohnsonTplaintifi", Martha Briggs, defend- 
ant. The court doth set aside the judgment of Ebe- 
nezer Swain. Esq., and do order the plaintiflf to take 
his breeches again, and pay the defendant her wages 
with costs of suit to the respective officers. 

1747. Nathaniel Jenkins, teacher and minister of 



SALEM, IN WEST JERSEY. 117 

his majesty's dissenting subjects, deoomiiialed the Bap- 
tists, alias Antipedo Baptists, desiring their liceiiseto 
preach, according to the act of indulgence and toie> 
ration of the protestant dissenters, granted in the 
reign of King William and Queen Marr, of bkssed 
n)emory, and having taken the oath of allegiance, it 
was granted. 



POLITICAL HISTORY. 

I proceed now to speak of the political history of 
these lower counties, more particularly irom about the 
year 1768. 

I have before remarked that Salem was made a 
port of entry as long back as the year 16S2, when a 
collector executed the duties thereof until near the 
breaking out of the American revolution. TTie last 
tfficer of the customs in this town, and, I believe, for 
this district, was one John Hatton, who, instead of 
being a kind, conciliating and gentlemanly man, as- 
sum^ all the consequence of a petty tyrant. He 
kept up continued broils with the captains and own- 
ers of the vessels, of those who traded constantly 
with Philadelphia. Indeed the owners of such pro- 
perty considered it an abominable grievance that they 
were obliged to pay two shillings a week for the 
permit to run their vessels, and which sum they be- 
lieved went to support a haughty, overbearing, and 
insolent tool of the government ; and who they con- 
sidered in no other light than as a spy upon the peo- 



11-' 1 IRST SETTLEMKNT OF 

|ile at large, — and whose impujKnce wont so far as 
to chartjf all \\w cilixt'iis hoUlini; offic<-s as en<mi<'s 
to his inaj<'sty*M puvi-rnincnt. lie b«*oanM' tl«'?ij»irablc 
in lh<* opinion of iho people generally — so that re- 
crimination and hard words often j>as.s«'d lj«'twe<,*n 
him and even |»ersons in authority. He made no 
8cai|)les of eharirin^ the owners . ' ' >H.s with 

carrvintf on nn illirit Imdr ami • his ma- 

'}o< liitl that the 

ju*< i at it. 

In«i«-««1 It \s for a 

nuiM li.i\ II _ _ _ the nKwt 

n- itiZreii in the eounty» to enter a romplaint 

of i....... < i.>*n, and he wuuld pmbahly lie eited be- 
fore the governor and his council, to answer to the 
charge exhibited. 

1 herewith uive you a sample. At a council held at 
Burlinirton, • ' . of July, 17fi*<, pr«»- 

»ent. His 1 ri Kninklin, Usqtiire, 

Governor ; tii«- I i li«a(i, John Smith, 

Samuel Smith, I. -n, l',sf|.,('<»l|«-<tor 

of his Maj«-sty's cusirmw lor the prjrt of Salem ; 
(Doctor Clark, whom said Hation calls his deputy;) 
Grant GibUin, Ksq., one of the justices of the peace, 
and K<lward Test, R^q.^Sheritf of Salem, attending, 
according to apiwintunnt. The complaint of the 
said John Hatton, rontnininj; a rei- linst 

Grant (iibl>»n, and Ivlward T . for 

abus» s h*^ had rcrrivcd from them in ;.. ii of 

his otIV'e. Als<^ a subs<'(jiient complaiii j{n- 

bert J<»hn*;on, Preston Carf)enter ami iJeorijo Tren- 
chard, I>:qiiires, |ustic«'s of tlit- tm.-kc for the county 



SALLM, IN WEST JERSEY. 119 

of Salem, for a neglect of duty, by not taking notice, 
in the iminner requested by Mr. Ilntlon, of one Wil- 
liam Pike, char«^ed by said IJalton of obstructing bim 
in tlie execution of bis ollice, and cursing tbe king; 
and some depositions produced by tbe said IlattoQ 
relating to tbe same, togetber witb sundry deposi- 
tions produced by tbe said Robert Joiijpson, Preston 
Carpenter, George Trencbard, Grant Giblxm and 
Edward Test, Esquires, were severally read and con- 
sidered, and tlie parties present were lully beard 
tbcreupon. 

Tbe board are of opinion tbat tbe charges against 
tbe persons comj)lained of, are by no means support- 
ed. Tbat assistance has not been in a regular man- 
ner ai>plied for by tbe said John Ilatton, to any" of 
tbe civil otbcers at Salem and retused. 

Tbat it appears by the depositicms of many re- 
spectable persons, that there is not any contraband 
or illicit trade carried on in the district of Salem, nor 
has been since Mr. Hatton's residence there ; though 
there may have been some instances of irrefiularities, 
such as the masters of boats, passing between Salem 
and Pbiladeipbia neglecting to take out tbe proper 
papers from tbe respective custom bouses ; but even 
of this practice no proof has been offered to the 
board. 

That the behaviour of tbe said John Ilatton, in 
private life, has occasioned tbe quarrels and treatment 
complained of, and that they have not taken rise from 
his discharging bis duty, as collector of his majesty's 
customs, or in respect to the revenue. 

That with a prudent change in his conduct in private 



I'-^O KIRTT SETTLEMENT OP 

life, he may live at Salem, aod exercwe the duties of 
his office with wiloty to his person, and put all the 
acts «>f fridc in full Utwc. 

' • sincr ihf abuses 1 in Mr. Hat- 

toi. lint, till' chief juslK i«l a court of 

oyer and icrmin« r in ilv county of 5>alein,but Mr. Hut- 
ton, although ntivis«Ml ihrn-lo by hU excellency, and 
the inquinMLj ihcnin reeomnynded from th<' Ixnch to 
the L'rainl jury, did i\ " ' *'«r re<lres8 or o(Ur any 
pnMits iif ill iisni;i-, - in his |)etition, alleg- 

ing that he rotiUi n..' iroin hi« 

being lame, and in r to his 

pcr8<jn ; which, * Mr. Halton was 

from the court, an ^_ . of writinu, being 

eonsidcn'd, does not appear to be a sufficient rea.«v>n 
for omitting his application, ef^pecially as jhe wit- 
ncsses, if he could have produced any, were living 
in, or near the town of Salem where the court was 
held, and would have attended if the u.nual or com- 
mon St. ' i». 

Thar ronduet of the magistrates 

complawi.^i ii Pike's affair, it 

appt'ars t«) i 1 1 1 iion was not in the 

execution (»f his oihr*' at that time, but was removing 
his own hous«>hold gtxMis, by water, to another place ; 
ond though in s'vond depositions of persons present, 
and now laid before the board, it is as«<»rted that 
Pike was not heard to curse the king, or use any 
words to that import, as alleged bv *' ^' 'on, 
yet the magistrates «|jd, upon Mr. Ilailo; int, 

bind him over to the next court of fjuaru r >< >>ions, 
that inquiry might be made therein, in due course of 



SALKM, IN WtST JERSEY. 121 

law ; and that during the examination of the said 
Pike, Mr. Halton and his deputy, though treated 
with civility and deeency by the magistrates, behaved 
to tli(^m with great rudeness and disresj)eet. 

CifAHLEs Petit, Dejnity Secretary. 

Hatton removed to Rattentown, near Swedesbo- 
rouf;h, where' hr* built and resided in that small brick 
hous*', situate on the east side of the street, as you 
•enter th«' village from Salem. 

Ik)STON Port Bill. — We will speak of that 
transaction of the British Government (the Boston 
port bill, as it was called,) which was the cause, 
among others of various acts of usurpation and cru- 
elty, tliflt involved these then colonies shortly after 
in all the horrors of civil war. Such was the gall- 
ing oppression exercised by General Gage, in quar- 
tering his mercemiry soldiery upon that proscribed 
and truly patriotic people; of Boston, in retaliation 
for their daring in throwing the detested tea into the 
sea, On Kith Dcccmlx^r, 1773, that they were ulti- 
mately reduced to want and wretchedness. The 
knowi(Hlge of their sufferings, and the vindictive 
spirit of their enemies, was carried, as it were, upon 
the wings of the wind, to every city, town, village 
and solitary dwelling throughout this widely extend- 
ed country. The feelings of the community every 
where were excited to the highest pitch. The great 
mass of the people felt the degradation, insult and 
cruelty, as if inflicted upon themselves individually. 

Delegates from dillerent states had now assembled 
and formed a congress, who " Resolved, that con- 
tributions from all the colonies for supplying the ne- 
11 



IJJ FIRST SETTLEMENT OF 

cessities and alleviating the distresses of their 
bn'thrcn at Boston, oui^ht to be continued in such 
manner, and so long, as their occasions nught re- 
quire." 

Contributions from Salem. — The iiihabitants 
of this county, sympathising with their oj)i)ressed 
brethren, felt themselves called upon, by all those 
ties which could bind human beings together, to send 
them aid, assembled in the court-house, and unani- 
mously resolved, that they would give a portion of 
their substance to assist in alleviating their distressed 
and oppressed fellow citizens of Boston. Ar<*ord- 
ingly, it was " resolved, that Grant Gil)l)on, I'^sq., 
who was known to be one of the niost popular and 
eiBcient men of the county, and a patriot in whom 
the public had unl)ounded confidence, be the man 
who should take the burthen and trouble in soliciting 
nlief from our jK-ople." 

This meeting was on 13th October, 1774. 

CJibbon cheerfully undertook the prai.seworthy 
business, and collected the sum of £157 '^s. 2d'., 
quite a large sum for those days. This money was 
forwarded with as little delay as possible, by the 
late Thomas Sinnickson, Esq., to the committee for 
the distressed and sutlering poor of Boston. 

Mektings in Cumhekland. — The whigs of Cum- 
berland county, our neigh})ors, were alike inflamed 
by the sacred fire of American patriotism, and ex- 
hibited by their conduct that they too had counted 
the value of liberty, and resolved to share with their 
brethren in the privations, dangers and vicissitudes 



SALEM, IN WEST JERSEY. 123 

of a war which they saw must decide the destinies 
of our country. 

They, therefore, proceeded to organize and train 
their militia, and simultaneously with the whigs of 
Salem, in the fall of 1774, had a committee of safety 
appointed for the county which was to consist of two 
members from each of the townships, who met oc- 
casionally at Cohansey bridge, now called Bridge- 
ton, to see that the association be properly attended 
to, and energetically and punctually observed in 
every particular. 

A CARGO OF TEA BURNT AT GREENWICH. As 

the friends of Britain met with such determined op- 
position bv the Bostonians, in the destruction of their 
tea, on the 10th Nov. 1773, so the East India tea 
company were determined to try whether they might 
not meet with better success in sending a cargo into 
the Cohansey. Accordingly a brig named the Greij- 
hound, commanded by Captain J. Allen, came up 
the creek and discharged her load at Greenwich, 
which was quickly deposited in a cellar, some dis- 
tance from the landing. The news of so unexpected 
and extraordinary an arrival, and more so of such an 
obnoxious cargo, aroused the patriotic feelings of 
the whigs in that part of the county. They, there- 
fore, assembled in the dusk of the evening, and (being 
disguised) seizing upon the chests of tea carried them 
to an old field, and piling them up, set fire to and 
destroyed them altogether. This bold act was 
performed on the evening of Thursday, 22d of Nov., 
1774, just about one year after the destruction of the 
tea at Boston. 



124 FIR3T SETTLEMENT OF 

The oarocs of those bold and dctormined patriots 
deserve to be handed down to the latent posterity ; 
and as far as can be recollected 1 herewith cheerfully 
record them. 

First, the venerabh- Doctor Ebenezer Elmer, (the 
father of the highly n^spectable Lucius Q. C. Elmer, 
Esq.,) inanv \«ars a memU-r of (' and who 

for a ureal i«ii<ith of time filled man uit public 

ofBces undrr government, and who is now the last 
of those Worthies whom it has pleasetl providence to 
extend his h<nlofore useful lif«' to the pn'sent time. 
Richard Howell, afterwards a major in the nrmy, 
and Governor of \«-w Jersey ; David Pierson, Stephen 
Pierson, Silas Whitecar, Timothy Elnwr, Reverend 
Andrew Hunter, R«-ven-nd Philip Tilhian, Alexander 
Moore, Jr., Clarence I*arvin, John Hunt, James 
Hunt, L<-wis Howi'll, Henry Stacks, Jann's Ewin^, 
father of the lat«' Chi«'f Justice of N*w Jersey, 
Doctor Thomas Ewint;, father of the pn-sent Doctor 
William li«Mlford Ewing ; Josiab Seeley and Joel 
T'ithian, Esquires, 

Tliis lx)ld act of these men (for they were all 
>uung fell«)W8,) produced much excitenx^nt in the 
lower countiJ-s with such persons who secretly were 
dispos«-d to favor the British interest. They were 
loud in their d<nunciations against these patriots, for 
what th«v called ** such wanton waste of proj)erty, 
and that thcv d«'ser\ed to be severely handled for it." 
The owners of the tea, finding that some commissc- 
ration for their loss had l>een excited among the 
pr'oplc in the neighU>rho(^>d, thought j)roj>er to try 
whether they could not obtain niuiincrati(jn by 



SALFM, IN WEST JERSEY. 125 

having recourse to suits at law. Therefore, previous 
to the sitting of the Supreme Court, in April, 1775, 
Captain Alien, John Duffield, Stacy Hepburn, and 
others, brought as many as half a dozen suits for 
damages against some of the whigs. The advocates 
for the plaintifls were Gen. Joseph Reed, of Phi^del- 
phia, and Mr. Petitt. 

As s(xin as this transaction was known, a meeting 
of the whigs took place, and they immediately re- 
solved to raise, and did raise, a considerable* sum of 
money to defend their friends in the controversy. 

Accordingly they forthwith retained on the side of 
the whigs, as their counsellors, Joseph Bloomfield, 
George Read, of New Castle, Elias Boudinot, of 
Elizabetht(nvn, and .Jonathan Dickinson Sargeant, of 
Philadelphia, who used to practice in the courts of 
the lower counties previous to the American revolu- 
tion. 

Joseph Bloomfield appeared as attorney for the 
whigs — " On motion of Mr. Sargeant, for Joseph 
Bloomfield, attorney for the defendants, ordered that 
the plaintiffs, being non-residents, file security for 
costs, agreeable to act of assembly, before further 
proceedings be had in these causes. 

Frederick Smyih, the chief justice, held the oyer 
and terminer in Cumberland county, next after the 
burning of the tea, and charged the grand jury on 
the subject, but they found no bills. He sent them 
out again, but they still refused to find any bills, for 
this plain reason — they were whigs. The foreman 
of that patriotic jury was Daniel Elmer. 

But as the American contest soon became serious, 
11* 



126 FlRSt SETTLEMENT OF 

and hostilities carried on in different parts of the 
states, the suits were dropped, and never after re* 
newed. 

Meetings were held to encourage thU 
BREEDING OF SHEEP. — -A meeting of the citizens of 
Philadelphia was held on the 30th November, 1774, 
recommending to the farmers the absolute necessity 
of preserving and enlarging their flocks of sheep, 
from which the people might in due time be supplied 
with domestic clothing. 

On 5th December, 1774, the butchers of the city 
associated together, and agreed and pledged them* 
selves to the public that they would not purchase any 
ewe mutton, or lambs, to be slaughtered within cer« 
tain specified times, as they thought it necessary to 
preserve the stock of sheep. 

Delegates from the different counties of Maryland 
met at Annapolis, and agreed, on 12th December, 
1774, *'to increase our flocks of sheep, and thereby 
promote the woollen manufacture of the province." 
Resolved, That no person ought to kill any lamb, 
dropt before the first day of May yearly, or other 
sheep before the first day of January next, under 
four years of age. 

Gloucester county meeting. — The whigs of 
Gloucester met at their court house, on 12th De-» 
cember, 1774, and there among other things resolv- 
ed, that a committee of observation, to consist of 77 
persons, be chosen by a majority of voters " qualified 
to vote for representatives in the legislature," and to 
see that they publicly advertise, without fear, favor, 
or partiality, all such persons d^ shall, within the 



SALEM, IN WEST JERSEY. 127 

limits of their jurisdiction, be guilty of a breach of 
the resolutions adopted by the late General Congress. 

Resolved, That our farmers should, as much as 
possible, apply their grounds to raising of flax and 
hemp ; and that our young women, instead of trifling 
their time away, do prudently employ it in learning 
the use of the spinning wheel. 

Salem couNXY.-^-Meetings were called in this 
county, and I believe throughout the union, urging 
Upon the public the absolute necessity of promoting 
home manufactures. It was here resolved to extend 
the production of flax by sowing greater quantities of 
seed than had ever been done, and also to promote 
the increase of our flocks of sheep, by killing no ewe 
for mutton or lamb, under four years old. Associa- 
tions of ladies were formed, recommending to the 
patriotic females throughout the union to enter im- 
mediately upon the business of domestic manufac^ 
tures, by plying the spinning wheel and the loom. 

It was now apparent to the most superficial ob- 
server, that the die was cast, — that the people must 
prepare themselves to resist an enemy accustomed 
and well trained for war, as well as abundantly sup- 
plied with all the munitions necessary to carry it on 
with vigor and efl?ect. Many of our most respectable 
citizens accepted of military appointments, and, as 
ofl[icers, began enlisting men to engage in the awful 
strife which appeared inevitable. 

It is not my province at this time, nor within my 
intended plan of giving you a short history of the 
events of these counties, originally one, to follow oui* 
military operations beyond them, further than to 



128 FIRST SETTLEMENT OF 

say, that our soldiers marched wheresoever duty and 
patriotism called them, and on all trying occasions 
exhibited their valor worthy of American patriots. 

Tribute to the brave. — But I cannot, consist- 
ently with my own feelings, withhold from you that 
well earned tribute of gratitude which will be for ever 
due to the memories of those men who, by their ex- 
ertions, contributed materially to secure to us, their 
posterity, the national blessings which we now enjoy. 
They were the Sinnicksons, Holmeses, Dicks, Halls, 
Rowens, Joneses, Loyds, Keasbeys, Parrets, Gibbons, 
the Elmers, Shutes, Hands, Newcombs, and all those 
mentioned as engaged in the destruction of the tea, 
and many others, whose names, through the lapse of 
years, are forgotten. 

Of those mentioned, none were more hated 
and dreaded by the enemy than Thomas Sinnickson 
and Benjamin Holmes. So desirous was the British 
commander-in-chief. Lord Howe, to get hold of them, 
that he offered a reward of £lOO sterling to have 
them brought to him, dead or alive. Jones, Loyd, 
and Gibbon were taken prisoners, and sent to New 
York, but the two first named were some time after- 
wards released upon their parole. Gibbon, (whose 
grandchildren are settled among us,) with thousands 
of other brave fellows, were doomed by the cruelty 
of the enemy, literally to starve to death in their 
prisons. 

I must here relate the extraordinary case of the 
widow of Gibbon, who, some years afterwards, be- 
came the wife of Benjamin Holmes. She obtained 
permission of the proper authorities to go to New 



SALEM, IN WEST JERSEY. 129 

York to see her husband. With that boldness which 
the unsubdued love of a faithful wife had for her 
husband, she went on her journey, braved every 
danger, surmounted every difficulty, and, with none 
to protect her, and nothing to rely on but her un- 
daunted resolution, she got into the city — made her 
way through the midst of the soldiery to the prison- 
house of death, where, inquiring for him whom she 
so tenderly loved, and for the sight of whom she had 
undertaken that long, solitary and difficult journey, 
and surmounted so many dangers, she was there 
told that three days before her arrival, he, with a 
cart-load of other dead prisoners, had been carried 
out to the trenches, and there tumbled in together. 
What must have been her feelings on hearing of such 
heart-rending tidings, is impossible for me to de- 
scribe. To you, my respected female auditory, I 
appeal, whose sympathies for such poignant suffer- 
ings of youi fellow sex can so naturally respond. 

State of parties. — The war was now raging, 
and the great mass of the people had by this time 
exhibited their predilection for, or dislike which they 
had, either to the American cause or that of the ene- 
my. One portion of the people had now boldly 
and manfully perilled life, property, and all that was 
near and dear to them, in the cause of their country. 
These were the whigs. 

Another, through a systematic policy of caution, 
professed to steer a neutral course, and were of those 
who generally possessed large properties, and whose 
religious feelings, they said, forbade them to bear 
arms, but who (with some few exceptions, that loved 



130 FIRST SETTLEMENT OF 

money more than kindred or country,) were at heart 
truly American, and wished success to the righteous 
cause. These were neutrals, or Quakers. 

Among these were some of the most ardent whigs 
that our country produced, and who boldly entered 
the ranks with their brother soldiers, and withstood 
the assaults of the enemy. 

I must here observe, that the public mind was ex- 
ceedingly agitated about that time respecting the 
propriety of admitting the excuses of any persons 
from not bearing arms, excepting such as were inca- 
pable by reason of age, or other bodily inffrmities.* 

A great deal had been said, and some arguments 
in the papers, as well as pamphlets, written, to con- 
vince the Quakers, as a religious sect, that it was 
not inconsistent with their tenets to aid their breth- 
ren, the Americans, in the mighty struggle in which 
they were engaged. It was denominated the cause 
of emancipation, which all should engage in to rid 
our country from the galling tyranny and oppression 
under which we, as a people, groaned. 

Arguments were used to show them that their an- 
cestors approved of the revolution against the go- 
vernment of King Charles I. ; but it was most fer- 
vently urged that this revolution was by far of much 
greater consequence to them, and to the world, than 
any other ever undertaken. 

* General Washington, in his letter to Governor Livingston, 
urged in the strongest terms that " every man capable of bearing 
arms should be obliged to turn out, and not permitted to buy off 
his services for a trifling sum." Again he says, " every distinc- 
tion between rich and poor must be laid aside now." 



SALEM, IN WEST JERSEY. 131 

In that revolution, George Fox, in his Journal, 
page 135, sa3^s, "The Lord's hand is turned against 
kings, and shall turn wise men backward — will bring 
their crowns to the dust, and lay them low and level 
with the dust." 

Edward Burrough holds similar sentiments, p. 610. 
Burrough again says, " Yet, notwithstanding, I must 
still say, and it is my judgment, that there was very 
great oppression and vexation under the government 
of the late King Charles, and bishops under his 
power, which the Lord was offended with, and many 
good people oppressed thereby ; for which cause the 
Lord might and did justly raise up some to oppose 
and strive against oppressions and injustice, and to 
press after reformation in all things. This principle 
of sincerity, which in some things carried them on 
in opposing oppressions^ and pressing after reforma- 
tion, I can never deny., but acknowledge it^ Sewell, 
p. 283. 

The writer says, how know we, but as hath been 
the sentiment of divers living and powerful servants 
of the Lord, as members of society, in these days, 
but that the " Almighty, for causes best known to 
himself," may have a special hand in this work, (the 
American revolution,) as was generally agreed by 
Friends that He had at the beginning, even at the 
apparently usurped revolution under Oliver Crom- 
well, as may be seen by the epistles of Francis 
Howgill, Edward Burrough, and divers others written 
to him ; which, if it be the case, we possibly, and not 
without strong probability in the view of some, may 
** be found fighters against God," which is a most 



132 FIRST SETTLEMENT OF 

awful consideration, and ought strongly to operate in 
the minds of all ; so that, if they cannot actively 
UNITE WITH, they be very careful by no means to 
OPPOSE, the powers that now are, and which we are 
now under. 

Again, W. Penn, p. 41, " We both own and are 
ready to yield obedience to every ordinance of man, 
relating to haman affairs, and I hat for conscience 
sake ; and that in all revolutions, we have de- 
meaned ourselves with much peace and patience, 
disowning all contrary actions ; and that we have 
lived most peacably under all the various govern- 
ments that have been since our first appearance ;" 
which could not have been unless they had submitted 
to the civil ordinances of men. 

Speaking of taxes. — Thomas Story, in his 
journal, p. 269, speaking of a debate which he had 
with the judge of a court, saith, " I began with the 
example of Christ himself, for the payment of a tax, 
though applied by CcBsar unto the uses of war, and 
other exigences of his government ; and was going 
to show the difference between a law that directly 
and principally affects the person in war, requiring 
•personal service, and a law which only requires a 
general tax, to be applied by rules as they see cause, 
and he instances the example of Jesus Christ in pay- 
ing his tribute money, and submitting to the Roman 
laws, though only an ordinance of men ; and his 
apostles, likewise, as an example to his church 
through all ages then to come.^^ Again he says, " all 
are to pay tribute as justly (or equally) imposed by 
the legislature;" p. 125. We, by the example of 



SALE3I, IN WEST JERSEY. 133 

our Lord Jesus Christ, do freely pay our taxes to 
Csesar, (or the powers that rule,) who of right hath 
the direction and application of them, to the various 
ends of government, to peace or to war, as it pleases 
him, (them,) or as needs be according to the con- 
stitution or laws of his kingdom, (or commonwealth.) 

W. Penn, p. 33, saith, " That since we are as 
large contributors to the government as our antago- 
nists, we are entitled to as large protection from it." 

Samuel Bonas relates an argument he had with 
one Ray, a priest, who charged Friends with inconsis- 
tency, in that, while they actually paid and even col- 
lected a tax for the purpose of carrying on war against 
France with vigor, they refused to pay tithes and 
militia assessments. To which S. Bonas replies, 
" We are still of the same mind with Robert Barclay, 
that wars and fightings are inconsistent with the gos- 
pel principle, and still lie under sufferings with re- 
spect to the militia, being careful to walk by the 
rule of Christ's doctrine ; and yet, do not think our- 
selves inconsistent in actively complying with the 
laws of taxes, in rendering unto Cossar the things 
that are Csesar 's, or the congress, and he, or they, 
may do therewith whatpleaseth he or them. 

The writer goes on to say, " It is a received opinion 
among us that all wars without distinction are sinful :" 
hence arises this scruple against paying taxes for 
the support of war ; but this is not the genuine doc- 
trine of our ancient Friends, as will fully appear in 
the following extract from the writings of Isaac Pen- 
nington, when speaking of what he very properly 
12 



134 FIRST SETTLEMENT OF 

styles, "a weighty question concerning the magistrates' 
protection of the innocent." 

It is to be observed, that this enlightened author 
views magistracy and defensive war, as the same 
thing, or, if I may use a simile, as one building, 
(though consisting of divers parts,) standing on the 
same foundation. 

The question is as follows, p. 444 : " Whether the 
maoristrate, in righteousness and equity, is engaged 
to defend such who, (by peaceableness and love 
which God hath wrought in their spirits, and by that 
law of life, mercy, good-will, and forgiveness, which 
God, by his own finger, hath written in their hearts,) 
are taken off from fighting-, and cannot use a weapon 
destructive to any creature ?" 

Answer. — " Magistracy was intended by God for 
the defence of the people ; not only of those who 
have ability, and can fight for them, but of such also 
who cannot, or are forbidden by the love and law of 
God, written in their hearts to do so." 

Pennington, again, p. 448, when treating on this 
peaceable principle professed by the society, says, 
" I speak not this against any magistrates or people 
defending themselves against foreign invasions, or 
making use of the sword to suppress the violent and 
evil-doers within their own borders ; for this the pre- 
sent state of things may and doth require, and a 
great blessing will attend the sword, when it is up- 
rightly borne to that end, and its use will be honora- 
ble ; and while there is need of a sword, the Lord will 
not suffer that government, or those governors, to 
want fitting instruments under them for the manage- 



SALEM, IN WEST JERSEY. 135 

ment thereof, who wait on him in his fear to have the 
edge of it rightly directed ; but yet there is a better 
state, which the Lord hath already brought some 
into, and which nations are to expect and travel to- 
wards." 

Another author, Finch, in a treatise called Second 
Thoughts concerning War, p. 95, says, "It is evident 
that this great man (Pennington) holds forth plainly 
the divine economy I have hinted at above. We see 
it was his judgment that men, using the sword in 
this gospel day, may be God's instruments ; and that 
herein, though not come to the better state or sum- 
mit of Christian perfection, they may yet be good 
enough to use, or direct the sword to be used, reli- 
geously in God's fear ; when, perhaps, many would 
think that religion in all, instead of using the sword, 
would, if regarded, lead directly from the use of it ; 
but it seems that this writer, though a great advocate 
for our doctrine, thought otherwise ; and I profess 
myself to be his proselyte, though at present, if there 
are a few persons so pious, I should almost as soon 
expect to find the philosopher's stone, as a whole 
army of such warriors : and I am persuaded a due 
regard upon what may be urged upon his and my 
principle will require more benevolence and reflection 
of mind than can be expected from unthinking bigot- 
ry." The same author, " I admire the wnsdom and 
charity of this writer, in his prudent and generous 
concessions, though some may think he thereby 
gives his cause away ; but I believe them so essen- 
tial to the preservation of it, that what he writes is 
the very truth, and that without such concessions it 



136 FIRST SETTLE3IENT OF 

will be impossible to maintain our ground against a 
keen adversary. AH attempts to explain and defend 
our doctrine, which go upon the literal sense of the 
precept, or consider defensive war as a thing in itself 
wicked, how specious soever worked up or received 
by shallow judges, instead of honoring and serving, 
have injured a good cause by multiplying many if 
not needless absurdities and contradictions, upon all 
such ill-judged attempts to state and clear the con- 
troversy." 

Again, p. 100. " The sword then which in tender- 
ness of conscience thou can'st not draw, may in an- 
other (whom for wise reasons it hath not pleased 
God to lead in the manner he hath done thee,) become 
the outward providential means to preserve thee and 
others, as well as himself; upon which principle 
his arms may protect thy person and property, and 
thy virtue and piety be a defence and a blessing upon 
his arms." 

At the first breaking out of our revolution, I have 
no doubt but that many Quakers were at a stand to 
know what course they had better pursue ; their 
minds being agitated by the conflicting feelings of 
their religious sentiments, together with the fealty 
which they owed to the civil authorities of the coun- 
try, and the natural bias of friendship which they 
must have had for many of those who had been their 
neighbors, and with whom they had lived upon terms 
of intimacy, but were now far away, from their fami- 
lies and engaged in the strife of war ; besides some 
of those, as officers or soldiers, or both, connected 
with them in all the endearing ties of consanguinity 



SALEM, IN WEST JERSEY. 137 

and affinity — all these impressions had a tendency 
to bewilder and distract their judgments. 

But when their religious principles came to be pub- 
licly discussed, and pamphlets and other papers cir- 
culated among them — then they saw their way clear, 
not only to pay their taxes, civil and military, but 
many of them to unite heart and hand in the glorious 
cause in which their fellow citizens were engaged ; 
and in this little county of Salem, I will name, as 
officers in the militia, the venerable and very aged 
Thomas Carpenter, Quarter Master ; Major Edward, 
Hall, Col. Whitten Cripps, John Smith, Adjutant ; 
and there were others not now recollected — these 
were of the society of Quakers, and devoted them- 
selves faithfully to the service of their country. 

Another class of persons, whose horrid cruelties 
will for ever hold them up to the scorn and detesta- 
tion of every American, so long as the word liberty 
is dear to freemen, were the tories. These fellows, 
and their numbers were considerable, attached them- 
selves to the British when they came into Salem, and 
became ten times more brutish and savage than the 
regular foreign soldiers were. 

British troops in Salem. — It was about the 20th 
February, 1778, that a detachment of British troops 
were sent from Philadelphia, by water, to Salem. 
They were in number about 500 men, under the 
command of Col. Abercrombie, of the 52d regiment. 
They came by water, and returned the same way, 
after remaining a few days, and helping themselves 
to whatever they wanted. It was generally believed 
12* 



138 FIRST SETTLEMENT OF 

that they were sent here on a reconnoitering party, 
and to ascertain the resources of our county. 

Col. Wayne. — Col. Anthony Wayne immediate- 
ly succeeded Abercrombie, and on the 17th March 
another British regiment, which had been selected 
from the 17th and 44th regiments in the city of Phi- 
ladelphia, and mostly Scotchmen, under the command 
of Col. Charles Mawhood, and his majors, Simcoe 
and Sims, said to have been from 1200 to 1500 
strong, marched into this town early in the forenoon, 
having encamped the night before near Sharptown, 
and anticipating that they might surprise Col. Wayne 
before he was aware of their approach. But Wayne 
was too vigilant an officer to be surprised here. He 
made good his retreat without any loss, and evinced 
to Col. Mawhood, although he was very much infe- 
rior to him in numbers, yet that he possessed the 
tact of generalship in a much higher degree than he 
did. As soon as the town was in possession of the 
enemy, the tories hastened hither, and as many en- 
listed as to make up two companies, who were called 
refugees. 

British officers were put in command of them, and 
that they might be known from the foreign troops, 
whose uniform was red, these refugees were dressed 
in an uniform entirely different from the foreign, 
which was green faced with white, and cocked hats 
with broad white binding around them. 

Col. Mawhood, having now an addition of two 
companies to his regiment, composed of the most 
desperate and abandoned wretches that ever drew the 
breath of life, and obtaining from them all the neces- 



SALEM, IN WEST JERSEY. 139 

sary information, learned that our militia, under the 
command of Col. Benjamin Holmes, were about 300, 
who were posted on the south side of Allaways creek, 
at Quinton's bridge, about three miles from Salem, 
and were determined to hold good their standing 
there, and prevent him, if possible, from crossing 
into Allaways creek township. 

He resolved, therefore, to beat up their quarters, 
and, as he publicly declared, chastise the insolent 
rebels^ as he was pleased to call our people, for hav- 
ing the impudence to dare to show resistance to his 
majesty's arms. He sent out into the country 
around, and took from the farmers as many horses 
as to complete a troop, which he had immediately 
mounted with his best men, and attached it to the 
regiment. 

Col. Holmes, anticipating a visit from the enemy, 
went on an exploring party with some of his officers 
to Allaways-town, about two miles above Quinton's 
bridge, for the purpose of appointing a few trusty 
persons as videttes, with directions to advance on 
the road from thence towards Salem, and watch the 
motions of the enemy, lest he might send a detach- 
ment that way, cross the creek at the bridge there, 
and attack him from that quarter. 

Col. Mawhood, on the ISth March, sent out Major 
Simcoe from Salem before daylight in the morning, 
with his battalion, who came undiscovered within 
half a mile of the bridge, and there placed his men 
in that ambuscade which proved so fatal to a portion 
of our militia but a few hours afterwards. On the 
left of the main road leading to the bridge, and with- 



140 FIRST SETTLEMENT OF 

^ * 

in half gunshot of it, there ran up a ravine leading 
from the creek, at that time a thick swamp, grown 
up with maples and bushes of every kind; this 
swamp continued its course to where the road made 
a short turn ; at about half way between this turn in 
the road and the bridge on the Allaways creek, was 
a two story brick house, with a barn and other out- 
buildings ; this house was then in the occupation of 
Benjamin Wetherby ; the main road to Salem ran 
close to the south end of the house, and the barn di- 
rectly on the opposite side, while the swamp, with 
its thicket of bushes, came within 80 or 100 feet of 
the north side of the house. In this swamp, dwelling 
house and barn, the British troops were secreted. 
The family were driven into the cellar. At the up- 
per end of the lane, where the road made a turn, 
there were woods ; from these, some few of the red- 
coats, (as the enemy were sometimes called,) with a 
small number of light-horsemen, would show them- 
selves, and march down the road in a taunting man- 
ner, as if challenging our people to a contest, and 
now and then advance near to the brick house, and 
then retreat to the woods again. 

During these petty manoeuvres of the enemy, the 
spirit of our soldiers was excited to such a degree, as 
that there appeared to be an almost unanimous dispo- 
sition in the militia to go over the bridge and chas- 
tise them. The most M'ary of the officers opposed 
the movement proposed, because the orders of the 
commanding officer had been peremptory, that they 
were to stand their ground, and defend the bridge to 



SALEM, IN WEST JERSEY. 141 

the last extremity, should the enemy attempt to force 
a passage in his absence. 

Ambuscade and defeat of the 3iilitia. — Dur- 
ing this parley among them, a little Frenchman by 
the name of Decoe, a lieutenant, who was full of 
fight, represented to Capt. William Smith, then the 
senior officer present, how easy it would be for them 
to go over and " drub those insolent rascals." Capt. 
Smith being equally animated, forthwith mount- 
ed his horse, and called upon his men to follow. 
They immediately obeyed and marched on, or rather 
huddled promiscuously along the road, with scarcely 
any military order. The decoying enemy, seeing 
the confused manner in which the militia were ap- 
proaching them, feigned a retreat. Captain Smith, 
being in advance of his men, was calling upon them 
to hasten on, saying, " we will have them before 
they get to Mill-hollow," — a ravine over which the 
then road leading to Salem passed, and about two 
miles from Quinton's bridge. 

During this higgledy-piggledy marching, if I may 
so call it, no one thought, while passing, to examine 
either the barn, dwelling house, or swamp in the rear 
of it. When the militia had advanced some yards 
beyond the house, the enemy rose up, and poured 
forth upon our people a most destructive fire, from 
the swamp, house, barn, and fences, under which 
many of them were secreted. The militia were 
thrown into confusion. It was at this moment that 
Capt. Smith displayed great bravery and presence of 
mind in attempting to rally his men, but they were 
so completely surprised that he could not form them 



142 FIRST SETTLEMENT OF 

into line. The light-horse from the woods now 
came dashing among them j but their horses, being 
untrained, soon frightened at the clash of arms and 
report of guns, and could not be brought within 
striking distance of the sabre, except in a few in- 
stances. 

Our people retreated fighting in small squads, and 
although at first surprised, and attacked in flank and 
rear, they made good their retreat across the bridge, 
but with the loss of between thirty and forty of their 
comrades. 

Akeival of Col. Hand during the fight. — 
Col. Hand, of the Cumberland militia, being informed 
by Col. Holmes that the enemy were in Salem, put 
his regiment in motion, and was hastening to join 
Holmes at Quinton's bridge, and by an unforseen 
Providence, as designed, he arrived there at the very 
moment when the enemy was dealing out death and 
destruction among our people. Immediately on his 
arrival, he placed his men in the trenches which our 
soldiers had but a little while before left, and opened 
upon the pursuing enemy such a continued and well 
directed fire, as soon put a stop to their career, and 
saved our people from being cut to pieces. Hand 
had with him two pieces of artillery, which, when 
they openrd, soon obliged the enemy to face about. 

Capt. Smith had some of his hair shot away from 
the back part of his head, a bullet grazed his loins, 
and his horse received two bullets in him, yet he 
carried his rider safe over the bridge, and then fell 
dead under him. 

Bravery of Andrew Bacon. — One extraordina- 



SALEM, IN WEST JERSEY. 143 

ry act of consummate bravery and desperate daring 
during the fight, deserves to be recorded. It was 
that which was performed by Andrew Bacon, of the 
militia, a man whose life was protracted until he was 
past eighty years of age before he died. After our 
militia had etfected their retreat across the creek to 
their works, Bacon seized an axe, and set to with all 
his might, with a determination to cut down the draw 
of the bridge, as it was apparent the design of the 
enemy was to beat and drive our soldiers from their 
trenches, if possible; he persevered in chopping, 
(while the enemy were directing their shot at him,) 
until he cut away the draw, and rendered it impass- 
able ; as he was hastening to the trenches, he re- 
ceived a wound, which, poor fellow, rendered him a 
cripple for life. 

The enemy being now foiled, notwithstanding all 
their exertions to cross the creek, and seeing the 
draw of the bridge cut away and destroyed in their 
presence, were reluctantly obliged to give up the 
contest, and return to Salem. 

Col. Mawhood attacks the militia. — Colonel 
Mawhood, exceedingly chagrined that Major Simcoe, 
with his fine battalion, could not drive our people 
from their entrenchments, was determined not to 
permit them to bid defiance to his majesty's arms any 
longer, and resolved on the morrow to make one 
desperate effort, with all his disposable force, to dis- 
lodge the militia from their stronghold, and crush 
them for their insolence. Our troops being well 
aware that the pride of the enemy was excessively 
mortified in being thus foiled by a raw and undisci- 



144 FIRST SETTLEMENT OF 

plined militia, in their attempt to take the bridge, 
employed the remainder of the day in strengthening 
their breastworks and other defences — in administer- 
ing all the comfort in their power to their wounded 
comrades, and in burying of the dead. Their feel- 
ings being now wrought up to the highest pitch, on 
that night they entered into the most solemn resolu- 
tions, that no "British soldier should eat bread or set 
his foot on that side of the AUaways creek," as long 
as there was a man left to defend it. Accordingly, 
as it was anticipated, f)n the next morning, about ten 
o'clock, the whole British force appeared, approaching 
in battle array. 

British regi3ient advances to attack the 
CAUSEWAY AND BRIDGE. — They imagined that they 
would strike terror into the hearts of our people by 
playing upon all their martial instruments of music, 
as they boldly advanced to the foot of the causeway 
in columns of battalions, where they displayed and 
formed their lines on the edge of the marsh. The 
refugees were there in the ranks on the right of the 
British regulars, and many of them were recognized 
by our people, as men who had been inhabitants of 
our own county, then in arms against their own 
neighbors. 

Militia were entrenched. — Previous to the 
approach of the enemy, Cols. Holmes and Hand had 
placed their men under cover in their entrenchments, 
both up and down the creek, as far as the discharge 
of musketry would tell with good effect. The creek 
running circularly towards the enemy, and from the 
position in which their line was then formed, they 



SALEM, IN WEST JERSEY. 145 

became exposed to the certain and destructive tire 
from our people in front, and on both flanks. In 
this position were they when our militia opened upon 
them such a well-directed and destructive fire, that,, 
brave as they were, they could not long stand iU 
They then saw, to their woful disappointment, that 
they could make no impression upon our people; 
they were not to be intimidated, for they felt them- 
selves secure under cover and upon a high bank, 
with the creek between them, and the bridge de- 
stroyed. For the enemy to make a desperate effort 
to advance through the marsh to the edge of the 
creek, would answer no good purpose, but only ex- 
pose themselves to certain destruction. In their at- 
tempt to penetrate along the causeway to gain the 
bridge, they were so galled by the incessant fire 
poured in upon their left flank from what is now the 
ship-yard, as well as assailed by small-arms and the 
two pieces of cannon in their front, that they were 
thrown into confusion, were obliged to retreat back 
to Salem, and leave the small village of Quinton's 
bridge in the possession of our gallant militia. 

The next day a detachment of the enemy marched 
through a little settlement called Guineatown, near 
to Allaways-town, situated at the head of the tide 
water, but returned, not venturing to cross the bridge 
there. 

Foraging and plundering the farmers. — 

Mawhood now set about accomplishing the errand 
which he had been sent to perform — which was 
13 



146 FIRST SETTLEMENT OF 

to plunder the farmers of all the hay, grain, cattle, 
horses, and, indeed, of every thing that might be of 
benefit to the British. He, therefore, sent out his 
men and pressed into his service all the teams that 
he could obtain, and set them to work under the su- 
pervision of a military guard in transporting every 
thing he found necessary to the vessels, which had 
been sent for that purpose ; — the like in number have 
never been seen at one time in our creek, either be- 
fore or since. These productions of the farmers 
were carried to Philadelphia, where they were very , 
much wanted — that city being the head quarters of 
the enemy. The foragers were directed to explore 
Elsinborough, Lower Mannington and Salem, where 
he was sure no resistance could be offered to them. 
He directed a strong party to attend the foragers into 
the township of Lower Penn's Neck. The bridge 
over the main creek, and road leading from Salem 
into the Neck, was situated about two miles higher 
up than where it now crosses. 

Capt. Andrew Sinnickson beats the enemy 
OUT, 20th March. — Captain Andrew Sinnickson 
lived at that time in Penn's Neck, and being notified 
of the party approaching, hastily collected together 
as many of his men as could be mustered, came upon 
the guard and their foragers, (in what was 
then called the Long Lane,) and after a severe con- 
test the enemy was routed, and in the melee the com- 
manding officer lost his hat and cloak, and was 
obliged to flee to Salem without them. The next day 



SALEM, IN WEST JERSEY. 147 

Capt. Sinnickson sent a flag into the town, with the 
hat and cloak, belonging to the unfortunate officer, 
with something like this laconic message : " That 
he had to regret the sudden departure of" the officer, 
the owner of these articles, but hoped that if he in- 
tended another visit into that township he might have 
the pleasure of detaining him, until they became bet- 
ter acquainted." 

The enemy never attempted to trouble those inha- 
bitants afterwards. 

Savage act of vengeance authorized by 
Col. Maw hood. — The enemy being now worsted in 
his two last encounters with the militia, could illy 
brook the stigma which might, in all probability, be 
cast upon that valiant Scotch regiment, which had 
been picked to capture Wayne, and bring the mili- 
tia to unconditional subjection, and were constrained to 
acknowledge that they really gained no decisive 
victory over the rebels, but, on the contrary, rather 
confess a partial defeat : the commanding officer, 
therefore, was driven to the most desperate dilemma, 
either to bear the scoffs of his fellow officers, on his 
return to the city, or take a worse than savage-like 
revenge upon a company of our people, stationed as 
a guard on the south side of AUaway's creek, at 
Hancock's bridge, which they had until now vigilant- 
ly and bravely defended. It was therefore resolved, 
that on such a night a number of refugees were to 
be selected (several of whom had fled from that im- 
mediate neighborhood,) and with some regulars should 
go and destroy that picket. 



148 FIRST SETTLEMENT OP 

Accordingly on the next morning, (being Friday, 
the same day they were beaten by Capt. Sinnickson,) 
a party of the enemy were sent to the farm of Wil- 
liam Abbott, on the north side of the AUaway's, and 
near to the creek, and there continued the whole day, 
showing a disposition to effect a passage. This ma- 
noeuvre of the British, in full view of our people, kept 
them continually on the alert, as they had them and 
the bridge to watch at the same time — they being 
about a mile from the bridge. At night they return- 
ed to Salem. On the following morning the enemy 
appeared about half a mile from the bridge, and ex- 
hibited a disposition to attack our people ; but after 
exchanging a few shots they retired out of the reach 
of our bullets, and remained in full view of our 
people until near dark, when they returned to Sa- 
lem. 

Massacre at Hancock's bridge. — That night 
the murdering party being selected, went, as they 
were directed, in boats down Salem creek to the 
river — thence to Allaway's creek — thence up the 
same to a suitable distance from Hancock's bridge, 
where they were to land, and being favored by the 
darkness of the night, were to attack the picket in 
the house in which they were stationed as their head- 
quarters, and put every man to death they found 
there. In that house, the property of Judge Hancock, 
were he, Charles Fogg, a very aged man, Joseph 

■ Thompson and Bacon, all Quakers ; a few 

others besides the guard, composed of a full company 



SALEM, IN WEST JERSEY. 149 

of men, were those persons in that house on that ill- 
fated night, all wrapt in sleep, worn down with watch- 
ing, nature exhausted, and many of them doomed to 
sleep the long sleep of death. The hellish mandate 
was issued at head-quarters — " Go — spare no one — 
put all to death — give no quarters." These re- 
fugees, only to be associated with their brethren, the 
imps of the infernal regions, did their best, and glut- 
ted their worse than savage passions in the innocent 
blood of their unoffending neighbors. They killed 
and desperately mangled, with fiendish ferocity, such 
whom they saw v/rithing under the severity of their 
wounds, and thus destroyed more than two thirds of 
all who were within that house. 

Pilots — Jonathan Ballanger, and Negro 

Frank. — It was currently reported, and that report 
believed to be true, that a negro man, who went by 
the name of Nicholson's Frank, and a man from 
Gloucester county, called Jonathan Ballanger, were 
the two persons who attended the murdering expedi- 
tion as pilots. 

Ballanger came to the house of John Steward, (a 
farmer, near Hancock's Bridge,) armed, that very 
same night, some time before day. (I use the words 
of Steward.) Steward said, "that he soon disco- 
vered, from the looks and conversation of Ballanger, 
that some evil was about to be done," With some 
persuasion he prevailed upon him to go into the room 
and lie down. When he went in he said he turned 
the key in the door, nor did he open it until about 
13* 



150 • FIRST SETTLEMENT OF 

daylight in the morning. When Ballanger came out 
of the room he stayed but a few minutes, went away, 
carrying with him his musket." 

"A short time after he had left the house, the report 
of a gun was heard, in the direction in which Bal- 
langer had walked, and by the side of the fence 
along which he had gone but a few minutes before, 
was found Reuben Sayres, mortally wounded ; "being 
a distance of not more than one-fourth of a mile 
from Steward's house." 

Ballanger was not seen by any person after he left 
Steward's, until several years afterwards. The sus- 
picion of the murder of Sayres could be fixed upon 
no one but him. Immediately after the massacre of 
the picket and private citizens, the refugees returned 
to Salem over the bridge, the draw of which they 
laid. Ballanger and the negro, no doubt, returned 
by water with the boatmen. It could have been none 
of the refugees who were at Hancock's. The cir- 
cumstantial evidence against Ballanger was most 
assuredly the very strongest kind ; amounting pretty 
near to positive. Public opinion was decidedly 
against him, for he was known to be a rank tory, 
and from the very hot bed of toryism — of those who 
secretly traded with the British while they occupied 
Philadelphia. 

It was but a short mile from Hancock's bridge to 
where Sayres was found weltering in his blood; 
he had escaped thus far towards the woods or marshes, 
in his flight from the murdering refugees. Not a 
single individual of the enemy was seen any where 



SALEM, IN WEST JERSEY. 151 

near to the field where Sayres was foimd. The mur- 
derer was always believed to be none other than 
Jonathan Ballanger. 

A few names of some of those desperate villains, 
the refugees, which I here mention, ought never to 
be forgotten. 

One fellow, who usually bore the name of Proud 
Harry, a plasterer by trade, an insolent, swaggering 
scoundrel, a bragadocio ; another, by name Jo. Da- 
niels ; another, if possible, worse than Satan himself, 
his name was John Hanks. This fellow was brought 
up from a boy in the family of Morris Beesley : the 
son of Morris, whose name was Walker, belonged to 
that company of militia. Hanks, with another vil- 
lain, rushed upon young Beesley to kill him. He 
begged of Hanks, in the most pitiable manner, to 
protect him, and spare his life ; he urged upon him 
their friendship and intimacy ; their having grown 
up from boys together. All his entreaties were in 
vain ; the murderer heard his pleas, and then very 
sternly told him, that for their former intimacy alone 
he was determined to kill him, and then stabbed him 
and left him. 

The poor youth lived long enough to tell this tale 
of woe to those people who came to take care of the 
dead and wounded. 

What a sight it must have been to old Judge 
Sayres and his wife, and how distracting to their 
feelings, to have eight corpses brought and laid in 
their house at the same time, among whom were a 
son, nephew, and other relatives and neighbors ! 



152 FIRST SETTLEMENT OF 

Another instance I will mention, of a militia-man 
whose name was Darius Dailey, who, escaping from 
the house, was pursued by two of the refugees ; while 
running, he saw an English soldier ; he made towards 
him as fast as he could, calling out to him at the 
same time to save him ; crying out, " Oh, save me, 
save me, soldier — I am your countryman ! Save 
me, save me ; I am a Scotchman — I am your coun- 
tryman !" 

The very name of countryman, even coming from 
the mouth of au enemy, and in the midst of slaugh- 
ter, struck the tender fibres of the stern soldier's 
heart. He immediately put himself in an attitude of 
defence, and stopped the pursuing refugees, and told 
them that he should protect the man at all hazards — 
that he had surrendered himself to him, and that he 
was his prisoner. 

When his flurry had in some measure subsided, 
Dailey gave his name to the soldier — the soldier his 
name to Dailey. They were both almost struck 
speechless with astonishment ; they now found that 
they had been bosom friends and school-mates to- 
gether, when boys, in Scotland. Dailey was con- 
ducted a prisoner, with a few others, to Salem, whose 
lives had been spared by the English soldiers. 

Names of the militia officers at Hancock's 
BRIDGE. — The names of the officers of that unfortu- 
nate company of militia, who were so dreadfully cut 
to pieces on that dreadful night, were, Carleton Shep- 
pard, captain — Benjamin Curlis, first lieutenant — 



SALEM, IN WEST JERSEY. 153 

Andrew Louder, second lieutenant — William Bres- 
bey, ensign. 

When the murdering party returned to Salem, 
there was great rejoicing at the extraordinary victory 
obtained over the rebel forces at Hancock's bridge , 
and Col. Mawhood, in the plenitude of his mercy, 
condescended to permit the wretched and heart- 
broken females to go out and pay their last offices of 
duty and affection to their dead and wounded hus- 
bands and friends ; and in exhibiting the excess of 
his humanity, he granted an indulgence to the friends 
of one Thompson, a Quaker, who was severely 
wounded, to bring him into the town, that the British 
surgeons might attend him. 

But the canker-worm of disappointment was prey- 
ing upon his feelings; this diabolical act was. not 
sufficient to glut the domineering and mortified pride 
of the commander, in his recent repulses by our 
people. Some other great military exploit must be 
performed before he left Salem, to give eclat to this 
would-be considered heretofore invincible regiment. 
And what, think 3'ou, it could be? Why, it was to 
send a company of his men 1o the farm of Colonel 
Holmes, in Elsinborough, about four miles from 
Salem, and drive his wife and family out of doors, 
pillage his property, and then set his house on fire ! 
All this was done. This heroic exploit deserves to 
be treasured up in the memory of all who hear me. 

Schooner Governor Livingston. — As a num- 
ber of the friends to the American cause, here and in 



154 FIRST SETTLEMENT OF 

Cumberland, had made many sacrifices, and been 
greatly injured by the depredations of the enemy, 
they formed an association, and resolved on endea- 
voring to retaliate upon the enemy, by making war 
upon them on the ocean. They, therefore, towards 
the close of the year 1779 and spring of 1780, built 
at Bridgeton, on the Cohansey, and equipped and 
fitted up as a letter of marque, a fine schooner, 
which, in compliment to the governor of the state, 
was called " The Governor Livingston." She made 
but one successful trip, and when on her second 
voyage, on her return home, having a very valuable 
cargo on board, was captured near the capes of the 
Delaware, by a British frigate. With this vessel 
began and ended the maritime war of our friends. 
The names of some of the owners, as well as I can 
remember, were, the Elmers, and some of their 
friends in Cumberland ; the Sinnicksons, and their 
immediate relatives ; Say re, (son-in-law to Edward 
Keasbey, Esq.,) Briggs and Carson, of Philadelphia. 

Mistakes in our American history. — Having 
given you a faithful account of the events of that 
time, while the enemy occupied Salem and its imme- 
diate vicinity, I cannot pass over in silence the mis- 
takes and errors, as I firmly believe, which you may 
find in some of the histories of our American revolu- 
tion. It is a truth that the British occupied Salem — 
the first time by Col. Abercrombie, having under his 
command 500 men, of the 52d regiment ; he came 
by water, and returned the same way, leaving Salem 



SALEM, IN WEST JERSEY. 155 

on the 25th Feb., 1778. In his regiment was a Capt. 
-Robinson, a fine, gentlemanly man, as was said by 
those who saw him. My father had a fine and beaii- 
tifiil blood horse, which one of his negro men mount- 
ed and rode off to Salem, as soon as he saw the 
enemy approaching from the river, through the 
marshes, and joined himself to them. This Robin- 
son took the horse for his own use, and the negro 
for his servant. When the enemy were on their re- 
turn, this horse was put on board a boat which ac- 
companied the other vessels down the creek, and 
when near the river the horse took fright, and, leap- 
ing overboard, swam ashore ; we got him afterwards, 
and before the visit of the second party of the enemy, 
he was sold to Nathan Sheppard, of Cumberland, for 
two hundred pounds, specie. Some years afterwards 
I saw the same horse in the possession of Seeley and 
Mercelies, merchants ; he was a gray. I am thus 
particular, that some of the old people in Bridgeton 
may endeavor to refresh their recollections respecting 
the horse. 

It is also a truth that the second party of the 
enemy was commanded by Col. Charles Mawhood, 
but they did not come by water, but by land. The 
truth is, that on Sunday, the 15th of March, 1778, 
Col. Mawhood put his picked regiment on board of 
his transports at Philadelphia, and dropped down to 
Billingsport, and there landed his men, (the trans- 
ports went on to Salem, and by them the regiment 
returned to the city,) and then marched up to the 
Salem road at Mantua creek bridge, (the only place 



156 FIRST SETTLEMENT OF 

where he could cross the creek,) where he was op- 
posed, on Monday, the 16th March, by Capt. Samuel 
Hugg, with his artillery, and other of our militia ; 
the names of several from our county now recollect- 
ed, were, Parker, Barrett, David Wetherington, John 
Cams, and the venerable James Johnson, who died 
but a few years ago. In that skirmish two or three 
of the enemy were killed. 

Our people then retreated, until they came to the 
farm now the property of Mr. Tonkins, where they 
halted, and cannonaded the enemy. That estate 
then belonged to Doctor Otto, who was a colonel. 
The British burnt all his property during the fight, 
and; as a monument of that skirmish, there stood but 
a few years ago, a large black oak tree in the middle 
of the road, and nearly opposite the house of Ton- 
kins, with the marks of the cannon shot visible upon 
it. Our people being overpowered by numbers, filed 
off from the main road, and gave up the contest. 

Thus, from the particulars which I have stated, 
those histories must be erroneous where it is asserted 
" that the enemy landed at Salem, and dispersed the 
small bodies of militia stationed there, under Cols.. 
Hand and Holmes." 

After the fight at Doctor Otto's, the enemy came 
down and encamped for the night near Sharptown, 
and came into Salem early in the forenoon, as J have 
before said. 

Another mistake I would mention. 
Col. Hand was not in Salem when the British 
came here, but was in Cumberland. Being informed 



SALEM, IN WEST JERSEY. 157 

of their arrival, be hastened with his men to join Col. 
Holmes, who, like a skilful officer, withdrew his 
small force of but a few hundred militia, and took 
post on the south side of the AUaways, at the village 
of Quinton's bridge, with a determination to defend 
that pass, and that only about three miles distant 
from the largest and finest regiment in the English 
service, and there kept Col. Mawhood at bay. 

It was an excellent and most judicious position 
taken by Col. Holmes, and for that military act, his 
memory deserves to be recorded as the Fabius of 
New Jersey. I say it was a judicious military posi- 
tion, being about half way between AUaways-town 
and Hancock, where were bridges over the Allaways 
also ; for as soon as he could be joined by the men 
under the command of his friend. Col. Hand, he felt 
confident that, unitedly, they would be able to retain 
their post at Quinton's bridge against all the force 
that Mawhood could bring against them. 

I will admit that an ambuscade, (as the histories 
say,) " so skilfully laid and executed by Major Sim- 
coe, who was one of the best officers in the British 
service," was a great misfortune to our people ; but 
it did not discourage them — it only proved a greater 
stimulus to them ; for on the very night after the sur- 
prise, as I have before told you, they were determined 
to brave death to the last man, rather than the enemy 
should cross the Allaways. Yes, and they made 
good their determination. But did that surprise of 
Simcoe upon a part of our militia militate either 
against their bravery, or the capacity of their field 
14 



158 FIRST SETTLEMENT OF 

officers ? By no means. The orders of Col. Holmes 
were peremptory — not to cross the bridge, but to re- 
main where they were in their entrenchments, and 
only to resist if the enemy, in his absence, attempted 
the passage. 

Like all raw and undisciplined troops, they diso- 
beyed the orders of their commanding officer, and 
they were punished accordingly. 

Mawhood is represented in those histories correctly 
as making proposals to Col. Hand, which he, like a 
true American, treated with disdain. The conditions 
were, that the militia should be disbanded and return 
to their homes, and that he would pay the farmers 
for the spoliations committed upon them ; but then 
came the threat, in case of refusal, " that he would 
arm the tories,''^ — that he had already done, — " de- 
stroy all the persons he would find in arms, burn 
their dwellings, and reduce their families to the ut- 
most distress." 

These conditions, it is to be observed, were of two 
kinds; first — peaceable, by withdrawing his regi- 
ment, and paying for their spoliations ; second — war 
to be carried on against us, with murders, burnings, 
and starvation ; and that he might operate more ef- 
fectually upon the feelings of our officers. Colonel 
Mawhood designated a number of our most excellent 
citizens, on whom he designed to wreak his ven- 
geance. 

But the very climax of his insolence and brutality 
was, that on the same day of the night in which the 



SALEM, IN WEST JERSKV. 159 

murder at Hancock's bridge was perpetrated, he dic- 
tated and sent the following letter, a copy of which I 
herewith present you. It is in these words : 

"Col. Mawhood, commanding a detachment of the 
British army at Salem, induced by motives of hu- 
manity, proposes to the militia at Quinton's bridge 
and the neighborhood, as well officers as private 
men, to lay down their arms and depart, each man 
to his own home. On that condition, he solemnly 
promises to re-embark his troops without delay, doing 
no further damage to the country ; and he will cause 
his commissioners to pay for the cattle, hay, and 
corn, that have been taken, in sterling money. 

" If, on the contrary, the militia should be so far 
deluded, and blind to their true interest and happi- 
ness, he will put the arms which he has brought with 
him into the hands of the people well affected, called 
lories, and will attack all such of the militia as re- 
main in arms, burn and destroy their houses and 
other property, and reduce them, their unfortunate 
wives and children, to beggary and distress ; and to 
convince them that these are not vain threats, he has 
subjoined a list of the names of such as will be the 
first objects to tell the vengeance of the British nation. 

" Given under my hand, at Head Quarters, at 
Salem, 21st day of March, 1778. 

" Cs. Mawhood, Colonel. 

*' Edward Keasbey, Thomas Sinnickson, Samuel 
Dick, Whitten Cripps, Ebenezer Howell, Edward 
Hall, John Rowen, Thomas Thompson, George 



160 FIRST SETTLEMENT OF 

Trenchard, Elijah Cattle, Andrew Sinni'ckson, Ni- 
cholas Kean, Jacob Hufty, Benjamin Holmes, Wil- 
liam Shute, Anthony Sharp, Abner Penton." 

But what cared they for his threatening letter ? 
They were in arms against him — they expected no- 
thing but death, if they should unfortunately fail into 
his hands — they were not to be intimidated by his 
threats — they bid him defiance — they and their brave 
comrades had been battling with him since he came 
into the county — they had counted the cost — they 
were periling every thing that was near and dear to 
them. Their wives and children were in his power — 
he could do as he pleased with them. 

But, like heroes. Colonels Holmes and Hand, and 
their confederates, treated these propositions with dis- 
dain. They had strong presentiments that some 
awful murders were to be perpetrated, nor could they 
have thought that he would have so speedily executed 
his threat, without allowing a suitable time for an 
answer to his letter. 

Would such men as he had denounced and many 
others equally prominent with them, trust the pro- 
mise of an enemy after the most horrid barbarity 
perpetrated at Hancock's bridge. Could the Sinnick- 
son's and their relatives trust the naked promise of 
Mawhood, when, without any exception as to charac- 
ter and standing, the father-in-law of Thomas Sin- 
nickson, the honorable Judge Hancock and the Qua- 
kers, Fogg, Bacon, Thompson, and others, were mur- 
dered in cold blood 1 No, they could not — they would 
not; they defied his threats. They knew full well that he 



SALEM, IN' WEST JERSEY. 161 

had armed the tories, and that they were then in his 
ranks, our avowed and eternal enemies. 

And here I would ask the question, if, peradven- 
ture it might be true, that Col. Mawhood with his 
victorious regiment, the pick and flower of the Bri- 
tish army, had overran Salem county, why did 
he not march to Bridgeton, or Greenwich, in 
Cumberland county — the distance was only from 
sixteen to eighteen miles ? What was to hinder 
him, since, as has been said in history, " he had 
dispersed the small bodies of the militia." 

We would reasonably have conjectured that he 
would have exerted all his resources to have taken 
vengeance upon the Cumberland people for the au- 
dacious insult offered to his majesty's government in 
burning of the tea a few years before. 

There were three bridges over the Allaways. The 
middle one he had tried and failed, — the lower bridge 
at which his murderous braves had signalized them- 
selves, — could he not have directed his victorious 
troops to proceed on to the mills of Capt. Wood, and 
burn them on their way to the Cohansey — the rebels 
as he called our people, drew a great deal of their 
flour from thence ? Or why did he not attempt to 
turn the right of our militia by crossing the Alla- 
ways at Allaways-town ? — there were two bridges 
within half a mile of each other — and what hindered 
him from burning the mills of Judge Holmes? he was 
the brother of Col. Holmes; from thence our troops 
drew supplies of flour. 

The answer I give, and I think it a legitimate one. 
Col. Mawhood had seen enough of our people to con- 
14* 



162 FIRST SETTLEMENT OF 

vince him, that although they would not meet him 
in the open field, they would inflict upon him such a 
guerilla warfare if he attemptd to penetrate into the 
wooded country as would prove fatal to his regiment. 
He therefore adopted the scheme I have before men- 
tioned of promising payment and pardon, or threat- 
ening vengeance and destruction. 

The fact was, Mawhood only held actual dominion 
over Salem, Lower Mannington and Elsinborough — 
drawing a line from about Mannington hill — the 
farms of the Aliens, and so to the road leading to 
Quinton's bridge. ~ 

Our militia were sent out daily in small scouting 
parties, which tended very much to circumscribe the 
operations of the enemy ; and on one of those recon- 
noitering excursions a kw of our officers had nigh 
been all captured. 

It was composed of Doctors Dick, Rowen, Adju- 
tant Jones, and one or two others not recollected, 
who, while they were sitting upon their horses at the 
now forks of the road near to James Smith's house, 
above three-quarters of a mile from Mannington- 
hill, the British light horse suddenly debouched from 
the woods behind them, who had been secreted in 
the ravine leading towards that road, and dashed 
upon these few individuals, and soon dispersed them; 
of that number Jones was taken prisoner in conse- 
quence of his horse becoming impeded in the mire. 

The tories had communicated the intelligence to 
Col. Mawhood that videttes were seen there every 
morning — and he sent in the night the horse to be 



SALEM, IN WEST JERSEY. 163 

in ambuscade before they should be discovered by 
any one, to give the information to our people. 

Another instance I will mention of the villany of 
the tories. Bateman Loyd, Esq., then a lieutenant, 
was going from our camp to communicate informa- 
tion to the commander of the militia in Gloucester. 
He stopped at Swedesborough to take some refresh- 
ment, and fed his horse ; but before he alighted, he 
questioned the tavern keeper, whose name was James, 
whether it would be safe for him to tarry there for 
so short a time; he was assured that he might, in 
the most perfect safety — but while he was eating his 
meal, the tories rushed into the room, secured him, 
and carried him a prisoner to Philadelphia, then in 
the possession of the enemy. That part of Glou- 
cester and along the river were many people decided 
tories, and who traded privately with the enemy, and 
communicated to Lord Howe all the necessary intel- 
ligence respecting the militia. 

I regret that I have been obliged to make these 
remarks, so foreign to my original design ; but I 
could not, consistently with my own feelings, and 
promise of affording you all the information in my 
power respecting those important events which oc- 
curred at that time, pass over in silence tlie mis- 
statements recorded in some of our histories, without 
endeavoring to give you the true version, which I 
think due to the memories of our departed friends. 



164 FIRST SETTLEMENT OF 



SLAVERY. 



I must premise that, as the subject of slavery in 
our southern states has been denounced in no un- 
measured terms of reproach by some of the conspicu- 
ous members of the British Parliament, and in par- 
ticular by that unprincipled, fanatical, and disorgan- 
ising agitator, Daniel O'Connell, I shall now proceed 
to show you how and when that national stain was 
first fixed upon the character of Nova Csesaria, or 
New Jersey ; premising, that O'Connell should have 
been the very last man in the world to have thunder- 
ed his anathemas against the American people on the 
score of slavery, since it is a notorious fact to every 
person who pays any attention to what is passing on 
the other side of the Atlantic, that there are thousands 
upon thousands of his dear people, as he calls them, 
the Irish, who live vastly in a more wretched and 
deplorable state of degradation and slavery, than the 
negroes in Georgia and Alabama. The poor, filthy, 
starving condition of the great mass of the peasantry 
of Ireland, far exceeds that of the whole congregated 
sufferings of the black population of our southern 
country. 

So much for Mr. O'Connell's interfering with the 
municipal regulations of the people in any part of 
these United States. 

But I proceed. 

Anne, queen of England, took under her fostering 



SALEM, IN WEST JERSEY. 165 

and maternal care, the then colony of Nova Csesaria, 
or New Jersey, on the 17th day of April, 1702. 

I must here be permitted to remark, that it is said, 
women sometimes rule over their husbands. It was 
so in the instance that I am now about to mention. 
You must know, therefore, that " His Royal High- 
ness, Prince George of Denmark," was her dearest 
husband, (as the queen used to call him,) and took 
rank at the court of St. James as high admiral of 
England. 

Instructions were given to Edward Lord Cornbury, 
(whose real or private name was Edward Hyde,) as 
captain general and governor over the province of 
Nova Cgesaria, or New Jersey, in America, on the 
16th day of November, 1702. . 

Among a variety of those instructions, are the fol- 
lowing : 

*' You shall send an account unto us, and to our 
commissioners for trade and plantations, of the pre- 
sent number of planters and inhabitants, men, women 
and children, as well masters as servants, free and 
unfree, and o^ the slaves in our said province, as also 
a yearly account of the increase or decrease of them, 
and how many of them are fit to bear arms in the 
militia of our said province. 

" And whereas, we are willing to recommend unto 
the said company, that the said province may have a 
constant and sufficient supply of merchantable 
NEGROES, at moderate rates, in money or commodi- 
ties — so you are to take special care that payment 



166 FIRST SETTLEMENT OF 

be duly made, and within a competent time, according 
to their agreements. 

" And you are to take care that there be no trading 
from our said province to any place in Africa, with- 
in the charter of the Royal African Company, other- 
wise than prescribed by an act of Parliament, entitled 
* An act to settle the trade to Africa.' 

" And you are yearly to give unto us, and to our / 
commissioners for trade and plantations, an account 
of what number of negroes our said province is 
yearly supplied with, and at what rates. 

" You shall endeavor to get a law passed for the 
restraining of any inhuman severity, which, by ill 
masters or overseers, may be used towards their 
Christian servants and their slaves ; and that provi- 
sion be made therein, that the wilful killing of Indians 
and negroes may be punished with death, and that a 
fit penalty be imposed for the maiming of them. 

" You are also, with the assistance of the Council 
and Assembly, to find out the best means to facilitate 
and encourage the conversion of negroes and Indians 
to the Christian religion." , 

I have reason to believe that there were some 
negroes in the families of the S weeds who were loca- 
ted here when Fenwick arrived. There can be no 
doubt but that they had been imported by the Dutch, 
as they brought numbers into New York, and sold i 
them wheresoever they could find purchasers. Afler 
the English obtained a settlement here, the negroes 
were imported from the West Indies, as subjects of 



SALEM, IN WEST JERSEY. 167 

merchandise. They soon became scattered among 
the farmers and others who could afford to pur- 
chase. 

In a list, or what may more properly be called a 
census, taken of the freeholders and other inhabitants 
of the township of Mannington, county of Salem, in 
the very early settlement of the county — of white 
males and females, of all ages, there were two hun- 
dred and sixty-seven ; of that number there were 
ninety-three Quakers. There were also nineteen 
negroes ; of that number sixteen belonged to Qua- 
kers. Supposing that Salem, Elsinborough, Alla- 
ways Creek and Cohansey contained^ a population of 
about five hundred and fifty souls, (a low computa- 
tion) then, calcufferting the black population by the 
number in Mannington, there must have been, at that 
early time, at least sixty negroes, slaves here. And 
we have no reason to doubt the truth of the conjec- 
ture, for every inducement was held out to individu- 
als to speculate in that kind of property, Quakers as 
well as people of all other persuasions. 

As early as the year 1696, the Quakers, in their 
yearly meetings, brought the subject of trading in 
negroes before their society, and to their credit, I 
believe, were the first religous sect that advised its 
members to desist from and discourage the future 
importation of them. 

From about that time the traffic in negroes became 
the subject of notice in their annual meetings, until 
about the year 175«, when they passed a resolution, 
denying the right of membership to any of their peo- 



10"< IIKST SETTLEMKNT OF 

pie who should persist in detaining a lellovv creature 
in bondage after that time; but the resolution was 
not strictly complied with until many years after- 
wards. 

This brings my remarks down to about the close of 
the American contest wliich sealed our inde|)endence 
and produced that j>eacc which was so ardently wished 
for by all classes of society. Our farms had become 
almost wastes, and our farmers and |XKiple of other 
various callings liad to lx?i'in again to rccTuit their cir- 
cumstances : they, then'Inre, srt to once more, with the 
greatest diligence, in endeavoring to repair the waste 
and destruction pro<luced in consequence of the war 
so recently ended. New buiUiings were enacting, 
enclosing and shutting out the tidff'from the marshes 
with good substantial banks, were progressing; and 
even as far back as the year 1770, a survey was 
made by the celebrated mathematician David Kitten- 
house, of the route for a canal to connect the Dela- 
ware river with the creek near Hawk's Bridge, the 
first i)rojecU-'d thorough cut canal in the I'nion, as I 
believe. 

A very estimable ciiizt^n, long since gone to his 
rest, Joseph UfH've, established a nursery for fruit 
tretvs, al)OUl thrcx) miles from Salem, lie niade it 
profiiable to himself and useful to the community, 
while he lived; and since then it has l>een greatly 
(niarged by his son, Samuel Reeve, and contains not 
less than about twenty thousand fruit trees, of every 
variety. 

Hul what appeared to be of the utmost importance 



SALEM, IN WEST JERSEY. 169 

to the cvcrlastinjT happiness of our forefathers, and 
to their descendants, was undertaken, speedily to 
endeavor to advance the moral culture of the people, 
in building up meeting houses for public worship in 
almost every township in the county where needed, 
and in erecting school houses for the instruction of 
their children. It was about that time that the Bap- 
tist meeting house in Salem, the Friends' school house 
in Souih street, and the academy, all in this town, 
were erected by the liberality of a few public spirited 
individuals. 

It was fortunate for our country, that, shortly 
after our war terminated, a trade was opened by the 
American merchants with almost all the European 
nations. 

As new channels of commerce were opening, so 
was the spirit of agriculture beginning to revive. 
The price of grain averaged as follows, from 1782 
to 1791 — wheat, 81.1 1 per bushel ; corn, 56 cents. 

Loan office. — The Legislature of New Jersey 
directed an emission of £100,000 of paper money, 
which was loaned out on mortgage on landed secu- 
rity, evidently with a design to assist the agricultural 
interest of the stale- Of that sum, our county took 
^16,000. I closed the loan office account for this 
county on the 1st March, 1797. 



15 



170 FIRST 8BTTLEIIKST Of 



My fellow citizens, 



I am aware that the sketch whic|^ I have 
given you of the historical events thus detailed 
through a long series of years, emhracing a {teriod 
of four generations of mankind, must necessarily Ijc 
imperfect, esix-cially as I have been ohlij.'til to drow 
largely u|)on my memory, in ■ * > the do- 

cuments whi'^h I jKJsscAS, for ' i» tK-rived 

from n^ hos*', my near uiiii d. *ir Irnnds, who 

have 1< -onefo !hf'ir '<t!fn! tomh^. V'-x. th«*y 

did truly jhtiI every » 

thenj, and, by the i , I 

Providence, ovcrruletl iheir and other jvatnota' exer- 
tions, for the consummation of that liberty which we 
all so freely enjoy. 

I would ask, what f>erson would be so bold and 
proni'.mtn as to assert that a kind Providence did not 
o\. * our forefathers in such a 

m . .1 way, as to produce those 

rr. io uur country ? Yes, I speak 

it w .und reverence — I firmly believe 

that the great Kuler and Arbiter of nations, <»f his 
own good pleasure, |>ermilted even ih«- ( !» innifs to 
aid us in that rijihteous cause. 

Witness the following instances: 

On the battle fi«ld of Monmouth, he sent down the 
scorching' heat of the sun to ' ' ^Too of inten- 
sity, which so distressed and i the foe, that 
liad every officer in the American hac done the duty 



SALEM, IN WEST JERSEY. 171 

prescril>e(J to him by the commandor-in-cliief, the 
enemy would have been in our power. 

AinJ while the enemy occupiitl Trenton, the facul- 
ties of the Hessians were so benumbed by the cold, 
or stupefied by the fumes of rum or tobacco, that the 
hail and snow descending in fleecy volumes upon the 
ground, and covering the approach of our army, did 
greatly assist in the surprise and capture of tbcm. 

The Scriptures inform us that a cloudy pillar by 
day accompanied the children of Israel, while they 
were fleeing before the Jiosts of Pharaoh, and inter- 
cepted the hosts of their enemies ; just so did a thick 
mist, or fog, envelope Washington and liis troops on 
the jK'i^lils of Hrooklyn, and secured their salety 
while (Tnssing the East river; and, what is particu- 
larly to be remarked, that on the escape of the very 
last boat-load of troops, behold ! the sun now shone 
forth, displaying his dazzling brightness, and exhi- 
biting an overruling Providence to the American 
army. 

Again, as the pillar to the Israelites exhibited botli 
its bright and dark sides for their protection and de- 
liverance, so was the mind of Washington moved to 
erect large fires on Mill-hill, at Trenton, which, by 
their glare, tended wonderfully to Ix-wilder and dis- 
concfrt his foe, while, in the darkness of the night, 
he marched to Princeton, and struck the enemy by 
sunrise the next morning. 

The poet beautifully says, 

•' God ridelh in the whirlwind, and directs the storm." 



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>>.,ple, ev«ry wlicre, i>lKiulil uilli ri vcr*.u<:i; buw. 



SMIM. IS WEST JERSEY. IT-'l 

and own Ilim a> ur; u.iivcrer and preserver of our 
(l<-jr country. 

A i'rw words more before I close. 
I <|., now, in ihe most solemn manner, address 
idcr feelings of your own hearts — to 
• of ihc. woc's and siitlrrings of your 
:id-fath«rs — and to that f»ii.'il kindred 
J. \\ ... :i you claim to their departe<l spirits— 
1 a«k, does it not become us, as a Christian 
I .. , to :i'«' - • -o all those privileges, and rAinem- 
r, with li .nlitude, the sourro from whence 

\\' 1i.i\- .!• rivr-i a;i our national !•' ' IKk^s it 

ji • !». iM every person having a; lu* what 

•ty, to use it in such a way a.s : 
'", ttnimp'iiff'd, all our civil ami 
• rather distrust i! 
<r what may U^ h: 
■ )ns,) who, under the plausible pretence of improv 
t1>'' civil or political institutions of our coimtry, 
!>e the most likely to undermine the foumlaiion 
ill" temple of liberty, which our forefathers ex- 
uded so much blood and treasure to erect? 
Let us, therefore, hold fast to true and rational 
iil>erty as the |x?arl beyond nil price. For be it re- 
iiK iii!».m-.m1, that liberty, without control, b<!comes 
lii'( liti.iiisuess — and licentiousness, fearing no con- 
trol, must necessarily end in tyranny. 

" To W-itmi of lilwrly is weak and vain, 
^Vhile tyrant vices in our txMoms reign; 
\oi liberty alone a nation saves — 
Corrupted freemen arc the wont ojtiivci'" 



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MANCHESTER. 
INDIANA 



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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 




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